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Vung Tau

report

Hanoi

While the weather may not have been as inviting as down south and the training schedule not quite as demanding, a hardy group of Swans and Viet Celts met at Small Lenin Park on Saturday afternoon.

After a bit of kick to kick and warm up with former Hanoi Hawk Vlad Lenin keeping an eye on proceedings, the assembled moved to the start line of the “Citadel Time trial” out the front of the Military Museum. Let off in 30 sec intervals, new Swans President Keysy led the way with Ladies Viet Celts Rose and Alison keeping him honest by staying hot on his heels. New recruits Elli, Duey, Marty and Nick followed up with the ever-reliable AYAD contingent of Caitlin, Rob, Joe and Dom the last to set off.

Vlad may not have been the only former Swan looking down on the group on this day, for half way around the 2.3km Citadel loop the team would run into a lonely Aussie visitor on a casual stroll around down who instantly recognised the Swans logos and tried in vain to stop the participants for a chat while they were in full stride – none other than Nicko’s Uncle Al! Great to meet him and talk footy later on at the finish line.

Congratulations to Hanoian club stalwart Joe Vile for being the only bootcamper to finish the 2.3km in varying sidewalk terrain in under 9 minutes, hardly breaking a sweat as he crossed the finish line looking resplendent in his Swans jumper in a time of 8.34. A time which will no doubt have the national coaches excited for his 2015 prospects on the field.

For the ladies Rose finished with a great time of 10.45, right alongside the Pres after giving him a 30 sec head start.. Both Joe and Rose are winners of a VND 250,000 food and beverage voucher compliments of The Republic.

Once recovered from the time trail, the team then moved back to Lenin Park to be put through a grueling fitness circuit led by Joe, and then a long jog up to the picturesque Trúc Bạch lake for “The Republic Swan Boat Challenge”.

Paired up in two’s, all competitors set off together for a lap of the lake with their Swans wading gloriously through the crystal clear waters, much to the amusement of the many onlookers in the surrounding cafe’s wondering why anyone would want to do such a think on such a cold and overcast day. Congratulations to new Swans Rob and Nick, winners of another VND250k Republic Voucher, we hope that they will be half as impressive in a Swans jumper as they were in their Swan boat.

MJ admiring the post-Stalinist architecture of the District 5 Stadium

The Vietnam Swans are proud to announce a new initiative being led by the Swans in conjunction with the Viet Celts and Saigon Gaels Gaelic, Hanoi Dragons and Saigon Gecko’s Rugby and Hanoi Oi’s and Saigon Shooters Netball Clubs – the Central Vietnam Games, to be held in Danang on 7 March. Through the perseverance and determination of Swannies Hall of Fame inductee and Hoi An native, Michael “MJ” Johnston and new Danang recruit Jason Carter, a fantastic old ground with ample grass to accommodate an expansive game of Aussie Rules has been booked.  An expected group of around 100 finely tuned athletes are expected to descend upon Danang for what is shaping up as a great weekend of sport. Old rivalries will be stirred up in the Hanoi vs Saigon Aussie Rules clash, with the original Anzac Friendship Trophy up for grabs, won by Hanoi in a famous victory over Saigon in Vung Tau 2000 and retained in Hanoian Presidents’ lounge rooms ever since. There is no doubt that the south has ruled the Vietnamese footy scene in recent years and will go into the game favorites, having the luxury of the lush grassed training fields at RMIT to prepare on and a deep playing list to choose from. However, the cunning northerners hardened from years of grueling sessions at their modest Xuan La stadium and the various bia hoi’s around it, may yet have an ace or two up their sleeve, with some talented Viet Celts and a Central Vietnamese-Australian or two likely to make their Swans debuts to help boost the Hanoians stocks. Swans sister club the Saigon Ladies Gaels will also be making their way to Danang fresh from their award winning 2014, which  included two victories against their northern comrades the Ladies Viet Celts. If seeking revenge for their loss to the Gaels on home soil at the SAGG Plate Final wasnt motivation enough, the VC Ladies will also be using this as a farewell game for one of the greats of Viet Celts Ladies football, Ms Claire Sauvage-Mar. The VC will no doubt be fired up to send their inspirational forward back home with a big first win against their Saigon rivals. Many Swans are also expected to feature prominently in the Viet Celts vs Saigon Gaels mens Gaelic encounter, while the Shooters vs Oi’s womens and mixed netball clashes should also provide our Swans and Gaels with a further opportunity to shine. “Like” the Central Vietnam Games facebook page to keep up to date with the latest developments as arrangements firm up. Recommended accommodation is currently at the Eden Plaza – Following this link supports AFL local development in Indochina with a commission going to the Indochina Bulldogs to support local players to get on tours through out the year and eventually  reach our goal of attending the International Cup in 2017 –  http://www.agoda.com/eden-plaza-danang/hotel/da-nang-vn.html?CID=1651962 .

Program as of 5/3

Friday 6 March

7.30pm Welcoming Event at Lido Bar

Saturday 7 March

Netball Court

0830-0930 Hanoi Oi’s vs Saigon Shooters Mixed Netball (4×12)

1000-1100 Hanoi Oi’s vs Saigon Shooters Women’s Netball (4×12)

Football Field

0900-1000 Kids hour

1000-1100 Viet Celts vs Saigon Gaels Men’s Gaelic (4×10)

1100 -1230 Touch Rugby games 1v2, 3v4, 2v3, 1v4, 2v4, 1v3 (10min games, 5 mins between each game)

1230-1330 Ladies Viet Celts vs Ladies Saigon Gaels Gaelic (4×10)

1330-1500* Hanoi Dragons vs Saigon Geckos Rugby (2×30)

*Half Time – Touch Rugby 3rd vs 4th playoff

1500-1630* Saigon Swans vs Hanoi Swans Aussie Rules (4×15)

*Half Time – Touch Rugby 1st vs 2nd final

6.30pm – Presentation Dinner at Al Frescos

9.00pm – After party at Waterfront Bar

The first game of the day was the battle for 3^rd place, with Dan Morrison’s Commonwealth Bank team taking on Siobhan Synnott’s Spotted Cow team. With captain Siobhan partying it up in Singapore that weekend, it was up to Bill Crang to take the reins. The Commonwealth team were boosted by the cameo appearances of Luke Philpott and Siara North, while the Cow team welcomed newer arrivals Ben Armstrong and Colum John. In what was a close game skills-wise, it was the Supergoals of Penny, Jo and Maz that got the Commonwealth Bank team over the line in the end.

The main attraction of the day was the hotly contested grand final between two powerhouse teams, Tuan Nhan’s Dragon Industries Asia team, and Kelli Trinidad’s Wide Eyed Tours team. The Dragon team was (as usual) warming up and psyching out well before the match began, while Kelli seem somewhat Wide Eyed at the lack of attendance of many of her team. Luckily, James Teague brought a raft of Irish lads down to help bolster numbers. The Dragon team came out firing, with a whitewash first quarter that could have sealed the game early. However, the Wide Eyed team came firing back in the second and third quarters, with some fantastic forward presence by Penny (who has managed to play on three teams over the tournament) bringing the margin very close. The final quarter was a great battle, with both teams as determined as each other to reach victory. However, a final hour goal from Tim Pickert confirmed the win for the Dragon team, who were without doubt the most focused and determined team of the series.

Player-of-the-tournament awards went to Penny Wilmott and Dan Morrison for their solid and consistent performances on the field, as well as their dedication with umpiring and on-the-day tasks. A huge congratulations goes to the Dragon Industries Asia team for their mighty performance over the tournament, as well as to all new players who stuck with it and saw their skills improve every week. Big thank you’s to all team captains, as well as Andy G, Nath Milner, Sean Milner, Billy, Tim Burdeu and Penny for help with umpiring.

The day’s festivities continued with some “backyard” cricket with members of the Saigon Australia Cricket Club, as well as touch rugby with the Saigon Geckos. The cricket proved to be a great hit, with Canadian Christine finding her new sport. The “one-hand-one-bounce (as long as other hand contains beer)” rule certainly made for some entertaining watching, to round off a fantastic day of sport at RMIT.

It is expected that the 9’s series will become a regular “off-season” fixture for the Swans and Gaels, so be sure to watch this space towards the end of the year!

Action from the 2014 Anzac Friendship Match courtesy of Rock Portrait Photography

Dear Swans family,

It is with great pleasure that I officially announce, on behalf of the Swans Leadership Team, the program for the 2015 Anzac Friendship Match, to be played at Vung Tau on Saturday 25th April.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the Swans have hosted this fixture, which continues to grow in stature each year to now be one of the most highly prized trophies in Asian footy. This year we welcome to Vung Tau, 2014 Asian Championships winners the Singapore Wombats for their first Friendship Match, in what is shaping up to be a tough, gritty and highly entertaining affair.

Of course the Anzac Friendship Match is much more than just a football game. Over the past five years it has become an event for our Veterans, Swannies supporters, ex and current players, families and friends to come together, rekindle old friendships and pay our respects to those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

In addition to hosting the Wombats, this year will be significant as it is the Anzac Centenary year and the fact that Anzac Day will fall on a Saturday, the same day as we traditionally hold the match. This is the first time that we as a club have faced the situation of playing on the same day as the dawn service, held at the Long Tan Cross, which will be a very important part of the weekend for many of our loyal supporters. It is certainly something that as a club we want to support and we did not want to make arrangements that might have the effect of dissuading people to attend the service.

After much deliberation and consultation, the Committee has therefore decided that due to the early start (4am bus to depart Vung Tau to Long Tan) we will be putting the McMillan Dinner and associated Middleton Address on hold for a year. The Dinner and Address has become an important event for the Swans and many supporters that travel a long way to attend each year, so it was not a decision we took lightly. However, the overwhelming feeling was that asking people attend a formal dinner after the early start was just a bit too much.

In consultation with Glenn Nolan from Tommy’s Bar 3 in Vung Tau, who has been instrumental in the establishment and growth of the Anzac Friendship Match, we have also decided in this exceptional year to move both the Legends and Anzac Friendship matches to an earlier start time (7.15am and 9.20am respectively), with dawn service busses to travel directly from the Long Tan service to the Lord Mayor’s Oval (dog track) where the traditional gunfire breakfast, usually held at Tommy’s Bar, will be held this year from 6.45am.

In addition to the greater convenience this will provide the large amount of people expected to attend this year’s Long Tan dawn service, we hope that the earlier start times of 7.15am and 9.20am will also have the additional benefit of being a more comfortable game for players and supporters holding the games away from the hottest part of the day. The provisional program for 25 April therefore is:

4.00am Busses Depart Tommy’s Bar
5.15 ANZAC Day Dawn Service, Long Tan Cross
5.45 Busses Depart Long Tan for Dog Track
6.45 Gunfire Breakfast at Dog Track
7.15 Legends and All-stars Game (4 x 15min Quarters)
9.00 Pre match formalities inc national anthems
9.25 6th Annual ANZAC Friendship Match: Vietnam Swans Vs Singapore Wombats (4 x 20min Quarters)
11.00 Presentation of the Friendship trophy at ground
11.40 Essendon vs Collingwood at Tommy’s Bar
12.00 Buffet lunch served at Tommy’s Bar
1.00 (Half Time) Anzac Friendship Game wrap up – speeches by respective coaches. Auction items.
2.30 (Full Time) Speeches, Auctions, Raffle draws and entertainment (TBC)
GWS vs Suns, Port vs Hawks, Freo vs Swans games to follow

What won’t change this year is our commitment to supporting Swim Vietnam and the Centre for Social Protection of Children (Vung Tau Orphanage). In place of our usual fundraising activities at the McMillian Dinner, we will be encouraging everyone to retreat back to Tommy’s Bar following the Friendship Match. Here a buffet lunch will be held with match reviews, speeches, auctions, raffles and maybe the odd game of 2-up held in between the big Essendon vs Collingwood and other AFL Anzac Day games that will be broadcast live. While it won’t have the formality of previous years, it is shaping up to be one massive day of footy and surely an occasion for all players and supporters to enjoy together.

We understand that these arrangements may not suit everyone but firmly believe as a committee that this will be the best outcome given the circumstances of this exceptional year and we intend to return to the usual format next year. We will be posting further details as arrangements are firmed up over the coming weeks but we thought it prudent to get the word out about the changes as soon as we could to assist with planning.

I hope to see you in Vung Tau in April, if not before at one of our games in the lead-up. If you have any questions with the program please do not hesitate to contact me at nationalpres@vietnamswans.com

Go you Swannies!

Grant Keys
National President

Vung Tau Bootcamp

Sat 7th February

New Fitness Coach Mitch Hyde will be sure to have the southerner’s quaddies burning at the traditional beach torture session

•         7am departure from Hogs Breath Cafe (Bitexco Tower) to Long Tan
•         Long Tan Cross-Country run
•         Bus to Tommy’s Bar for lunch and Long Tan Battlefield Documentary
•         Afternoon beach session with Mitch Hyde
•         Dinner and drinks to start at Lucy’s Sports Bar 7:30pm
Sunday 8th February
•         9am @ Vung Tau Football Ground (Lam Son Stadium) for skills session depending on surface
•         Visit Vung Tau orphanage
•         BBQ Lunch at Matilda’s
•         Afternoon bus (or boat if you desire) back to Ho Chi Minh

Subsidised cost of 200,000 per person to cover bus hire

Recommended hotel is Sammy Hotel at 775,000 pp based on twin share including breakfast – But welcome to stay anywhere. Song Hong Hotel is a cheaper alternative near Tommys Bar if required.

Contact timp@dragonindustriesasia.com for further details and to sign up for the Vung Tau Bootcamp

Hanoi Bootcamp

The punishing “Truc Bach Lake Swan Boat Challenge” and “Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum circuit” will be just the thing to tone up those Hanoian bia hoi bellies

To take them forward to even greater heights in 2015, the Swans Football Operations Group have announced their 2015 leadership team, led by the newly appointed Director of Football Operations Tim Clements as announced at December’s AGM.

“The aim of this new structure is to diversify the club, meet club objectives, increase playing ability of the playing group, increase discipline of the club and provide support to the National Coach” Clements said.

The Swans are once again fortunate to have as National Coach former South Bunbury dual premiership player Andy Glendinning, who this year will have by his side a wealth of talent and experience in Saigon, Hanoi and Central Vietnam.

Legendary Swannies backman Bill Crang’s positive year on the park and good standing amongst the playing group across the nation left Clements and Glendinning no option but to reinstate him as National Captain. In support as Vice Captain will be Tim Pickert, who’s presence and enthusiasm in and around the sheds in 2014 was a major lift for the Swans. Pickett will also be assisting Glendinning with targeted skills sessions throughout the year.

Deputy Vice Captains have also been appointed in Saigon and Hanoi, with 2014 Swannies Best and Fairest Nathan Milner elevated to the leadership group, while high flying Hanoian David Skowronski will once again be leading the way up north in his last year with the Swans.

Fitness has been identified as a key area the playing group will need to improve in 2015, with Physical Education guru Mitch Hyde tasked with the job of getting the team in shape.

The Swans sister club, the Saigon Lady Gaels also had a huge 2014, winning silverware at the Asian Gaelic Games and South Asian Gaelic Games. Siobhan Synnott will once again perform the role of Captain/Coach to help the girls consolidate their outstanding inaugural year on the park, with the girls very much a part of the Swannies system.

Developing Auskick programs and establishing trainings in Central Vietnam have also been identified as two key objectives for the Swans in 2015, with the football department to provide support to Kevin Hornblower in his role of Auskick manager and Swans Hall-of-Famer Michael Johnston and Jason Carter in Central Vietnam.

The announcement of a football leadership group is indication of the Swannies intent to improve their standing in AFL Asia in 2015 and Clements believes the time is ripe for the team to take the next step.

“While our performances in 2014 were good, we know we can do better” Clements said.

“To lose the IndoChina Cup to Thailand was disappointing, we will certainly be looking to reclaim that back in Laos this year. We have also never made an Asian Champs or Manila Cup Grand Final, so we will be keen to take a step forward at those tournaments and really challenge ourselves against the best teams in Asia.”

The Swans annual Anzac Friendship Match continues to grow in stature with this year’s clash against 2014 Asian Champs premiers the Singapore Wombats on 25 April in Vung Tao sure to be a classic.

“Its going to be a massive test for us” Clements said. “The Wombats play a fast, physical brand of football so we are going to have to put in the work in the lead up if we want to compete effectively.”

The Swans will look to kick off their season in the coming weeks with announcements on the Anzac Day program, trainings and a comprehensive program of games expected shortly.

Tim Clements will be hoping to reacquaint himself with the taste of victory in 2015

Vietnam Swans 2015 Football Department

Head of Football Operations: Tim Clements

Head Coach: Andy Glendinning

National Captai: Bill Crang

Vice-Captain: Tim Pickert

Deputy Vice Captain Saigon: Nathan Milner

Deputy Vice Captain Hanoi: David Skowronski (SOS)

Fitness Coach: Mitch Hyde

Central Vietnam: MJ and Jason Carter

Saigon Ladies Gaels Coach/Captian: Siobhan Synnott

AusKick: The Horn

“We sold more beer than on any other trading day since we opened!” said Simon Burns, part owner of 3 Dragons.

But it wasn’t just about the beer. It was about the footy and the families.

Emma Kidson, accompanied by MJ on guitar, got things rolling with an audience participator in “The Holy Grail”.

“Turn up the telly, it’s Tom Jones!” led to the last Grail chorus being sung at amphetamine speed before the real action started.

Swannie MJ & 3 Dragons Simon present Swim VN Manager, Trung, with 5 million vnd

Working the crowd like a pro, Swans resident Airport Lounge Consultant, Jason MacDonald, sold out all the raffle tickets for First Goal, Norm Smith Medallist and Winning Margin. An awesome effort, Jason, which helped raise 3 million dong for Swim Vietnam.

There were no meat pies or hair dryers on offer at half time, but the winner of the inaugural Under-Drinking-Age Handball Competition took home a great Sunrise Kayak Tour from Hoi An Kayak Centre.
Two out of the twenty kids snagged 4 bull’s-eyes from their 10 handballs. In a thrilling handball-off, Cooper Mason nailed 3 of his last 4 handballs for a repeat total of 4 bull’s-eyes to take out the title (see separate video below and report for more info on Cooper with thanks to his mum Kelle for the photos and video).

Hoi An Kayak Centre’s Jason Napiorkowski achieved the unbelievable by nailing the winning margin of Hawks by 63 points. “I hate the Swans so much since they moved from South Melbourne and then defeated my beloved Roos last week”, Jason said as he received his prize from Vietnam Vespa Adventures of a Foodie Night Tour.

Vietnam Vespas also provided the winner of the Norm Smith Medal raffle with a Countryside & Island Tour.

Following a few false starts due to people not understanding what tickets they were looking at, it took 3 quarters to find the quiet Hawks supporter tucked away in the corner who owned up to having the Josh Kennedy First Goal ticket which earned him a Hoi An Scooter Tour of the Rice Fields & Vegetable Village.

Where would footy be without men trying to fit into the jumpers they wore as kids? Simon raffled off a couple of Swans jumpers to give them something more comfortable to wear back in Oz. This raised a further 2 million dong for Swim Vietnam.

“This 5 million is enough to fund one complete class next summer”, Swim Vietnam’s Manager, Doan Minh Trung said as he accepted the funds raised on the day. Trung and 3 other coaches handed out Swim VN brochures at the start of the Grand Final Party and answered questions.

“Vietnam Swans’ ongoing support is one of the reasons why Swim Vietnam continues to grow”, said Swim Vietnam’s Director, Jo Stewart, as she thanked everyone for their contributions.

Home

All in all, the first Hoi An GF Party was a great advertisement for Aussie Rules, with a few AusKick balls from the handball competition last seen being punted down Phan Boi Chau in the afternoon sun by some local kids, the next wave of Swannies!

COOPER MASON FROM PERTH WINS HANDBALL COMP

Cooper is 10 years old and lives in Perth, Western Australia.

He plays footy for Marist Football club and this season played Centre Half Forward. He is also a keen swimmer, water polo player and basketballer. Basically any sport, and Coop will have a go!

Coop stated that Vietnam was our “best family holiday yet!” and he loved Hoi An.

His prize for winning the handball competition was a kayak tour and our family of 4 had a great morning on the water. Thank you to 3 Dragons, Vietnam Swans and Hoi An Kayak Centre!

Coop has an older brother, Flynn (12) who is also a keen swimmer and polo player. Flynn recently started training to swim the English Channel in 2016.

The boys both think the money raised on Grand Final Day at 3 Dragons in Hoi An is going to a fantastic cause, Swim Vietnam, especially because they were so lucky to have learnt how to swim when they were both very young.

Check out young Cooper’s outstanding form in this youtube clip:

On Saturday 6 December a fantastic turnout of around 60 players, supporters and families of the Vietnam Swans and Ladies Saigon Gaels gathered at Al Fresco’s restaurant at Thao Dien, HCMC, enjoying the fantastic spit roast and first class hospitality provided by the club’s long-term supporter.

The 2014 Ladies Saigon Gaels

Significantly, this was the first ever Presentation Dinner held jointly with the Gaels, ending a successful first years partnership between the two clubs and further reinforcing the Swannies claim to the most inclusive footy club in Asia. The Gaels were simply outstanding in their first year on the park, bringing home silverware at the Asian Gaelic Games in Malaysia and the South Asian Gaelic Games in Hanoi. Most Valuable Gael (with several impressive performances with the Swans also to her name) was Penny Wilmott, winning the Gaels vote count just ahead of Runner-up Siobhan Synnott. Kelli Trinidad was awarded the Gaels Clubman of the Year and Juliet Schneeman the Most Improved.

Tim Clements from Swannies Signature Sponsor Dragon Industries Asia and Coach Glendinning presenting Nath Milner with his BnF

For the Swans, hard working club stalwart and Saigon cheesecake baron Nathan Milner (check out his amazing work at http://www.cheesecakengon.com) finished the night with the most bling, winning the the Luke Creamer Best and Fairest vote count and then confirming his highly respected standing amongst the playing group by backing it up with the Rick Trewavas medal (as voted by the players).

James Bairstow also impressed throughout the year with his attack on the ball, particularly in the big ANZAC Day and Asian Champs games and was a worthy recipient of the Runners Up BnF.

Most Improved Swannie Tuan Nhan with Coach Glendinning and Captain Crang

No one has been working harder on their game in 2014 than every Swan’s favorite Vietnamese American Tuan Nhan, with Coach Glendinning and Captain Billy Crang having no trouble in rewarding his efforts on and off the track by naming him their Most Improved Player. Tuan will no doubt be an important player going forward for the Swans and the new IndoChina Bulldogs team, with an impressive showing in their first ever game at the IndoChina Cup.

The last award of the night was an emotional one; the new Nick Shiells award being presented by outgoing President Josh Lee. Following Nicko’s death earlier in the year, it was agreed amongst Swans committee and Nicko’s family that a new medal be struck in his name. The criteria being:

“To be awarded to the clubman who, throughout the year, was seen to further the entire club more than any other while promoting its values and ethos. This could have been done either on or off the field or by a combination of both with no weighting provided to either area. The award will be selected by the national president and received only once a year.”

Buddy Duong presenting Andy Marr with the inagural Nick Shiells Award

Selected by Josh and presented by Nick’s partner Buddy, a very chuffed Andy Marr was awarded the inaugural Nick Shiells Award in recognition of the efforts he has put in for the Swans on and off the park throughout the year. Andy was a driving force behind the ANZAC Day and Grand Final Parties, the establishment of the IndoChina Bulldogs team and rarely missed a training session let alone a tour all year. His positive can-do attitude and love for the Swans making him a very worthy recipient, and his on-tour dancing is second to none.

Hanoi Presentation Dinner

The following Tuesday in Hanoi, a modest but talented group of Hanoian Swans, with a smattering of Viet Celts, also got together at The Republic to relive a few moments from the year. Small forward goal sneak and high mark specialist David Skowronski was named the Best and Fairest Hanoian, finishing the highest in the National Vote Count.

The other Hanoi award was the Hanoi President Dan Hopkin’s Clubman of the Year, with Joe Vile receiving the honors. Joe was another consistent contributor up forward throughout the year for the Swans, with his infectious enthusiasm at Xuan La training sessions and ability to bring a few heads along to make up numbers being a great asset to the boys up north.

Hanoi Swans Presentation night

The night finished with a symbolic ‘hand over’ presentation of the original Hanoi vs Saigon Anzac Friendship trophy, currently held by Hanoi, by Dan to incoming National President Grant Keys. While stepping down from the President’s chair, ‘Crazy’ Dan will be “focusing on his footy” in 2015, with all of Vietnam looking forward to seeing the hard hitting backman back on the field. Dan has been the driving force of Hanoi footy over recent years, with the huge annual Grand Final party at the Hanoi Intercontinental a great legacy of his. We thank him greatly for his contributions as Hanoi President.

AGM

Preceding the National Awards Dinner in Ho Chi Minh City was the Swans Annual General Meeting, where positions on the new Swans Leadership Group were confirmed. Thank you and congratulations to the following people who will be taking up the following roles:

National President – Grant Keys

Football Operations – Tim Clements

Finance and Governance – Rowan Luke

Sponsorships and Tours – Andy Marr

Events and Marketing (& Gaels representative) – Mairead (Maz) Scanlon

It is intended that each of the positions will be supported by more flexible “Key Position Players” or committees appointed throughout the year or as required. An overview of the agreed new structure for the club can be found here. The new leadership group very much welcomes approaches from anyone that would like to get involved in any particular area club activities.

Outgoing National President Josh Lee handing over to Grant Keys. Thank you Josh and good luck with your new adventures!

2014 had been a great year for the Swans and the Gaels, with the Swans really cementing themselves as a powerhouse in Asian footy, while the Gaels have developed in to a serious and accomplished club in only 12 months. We are very excited about what is to come in 2015, and are looking forward to seeing you all back on the field!

Inviting all all current and former Swannies players and supporters to join us for the 8th annual Test Cricket Day and 10th annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic!

Cricket

Ryan Evans is organising tickets for the 3rd day of the Boxing Day test this year. Thanks to Revo, for the first time, Swannies will be given the opportunity to watch the test through the glass from the bar in the AFL Members bar (or selected seating if preferred) where we can enjoy a quiet tipple while cheering on the Aussies against the Indians. Revo needs to book tickets now to take advantage of a special price of $36 for the first 12 people, $50 after that, max of 24. If you would like to go please contact ryanlevans74@gmail.com

Golf

Swannies Golf Day – ‘Ryan Jeffery Jacket’ up for grabs
Date: Monday 29 December
Time: Tee-time TBC (most likely 10am)
Venue: Ivanhoe Golf Club
Who: Anyone connected to Swannies
Numbers: 4 flights will be booked (16 players)
Confirmed: Flyer, Ryan Jeffery, Chris Canty, Barfly (4 players)
Format: Best Ball (Very social format)
Contact: David ‘Flyer’ Kainey dkainey@hotmail.com