International Swans member David Smith chose to follow the team only because he lived in the Canadian town of Sydney.
But the AFL Canada treasurer was beside himself with excitement as he cheered on the red and white while he attended his first AFL game on Sunday.
He and his wife Jane arrived in Australia last Thursday and after watching Sydney play Port Adelaide at the SCG on the weekend, they will see the Swans play the Giants in Round 3 and the Western Bulldogs in Melbourne the following week.
Swans defender Alex Johnson met with the Smiths before the opening bounce on Sunday to present to David a signed guernsey where he was seated high in the Brewongle Stand.
The Canadian described the match-day atmosphere as “simply brilliant” and said he was completely absorbed by the experience.
“I’m excited to be here in Australia, I’ve always wanted to visit,” David said.
“But to be here seeing the Swans play live, I can’t put the feeling into words. I’m so pumped to be here and watching a game in person.”
The 46-year-old first set eyes on Australian rules football when he switched to an hour-long talk-show on a Canadian sports network in the late 1980s.
He said it “felt very much like ice hockey because of the physicality and the flow” and fell in love with the game almost instantly.
This was despite the fact AFL Canada, the governing body of Australian rules football in Canada, didn’t form until May, 1989.
It was established when the Toronto Panthers and Mississauga Mustangs were founded and squared off in the inaugural Conacher Cup game.
David has remained a Swans die-hard despite the limited significance of AFL football in Canada and has had greater access to the game since registering for a Global Supporter Membership with the club in 2014.
The membership allows him to watch every AFL game live or on demand through the Watch AFL digital subscription.
He became a member in 2014 and can “count on one hand” how many Swans games he has missed since.
Although David only sided with the Swans because he lived in Canada’s own Sydney, he says the competitiveness of the club has him hooked.
“The success of the team is absolutely brilliant,” David said.
“They’re a great organisation and a great team. Year in and year out they play finals footy, they often make the grand final and it was great to see them win the comp in 2012.
“Of the current players my favourite player would have to be Buddy. The ball just explodes off his foot. He’s an all-time great.
“Going back, Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin were some of my favourites and I also really liked Mike Pyke because he was a fellow Canadian and it was always good to see him do well.”
David watches every game with his father and says Australian rules football is on the rise in Canada.
“It’s starting to grow slowly,” David said.
“It seems like when I talk to people more they know about the existence of it. We have a small group of players in the town we live. The challenge is just getting people exposed, but when people see the game they become fans – they really do.”
