Men's Senior Football Update

Hello Swans fans and members,

We hope that everyone is keeping safe and well in this different time we are living in. I thought I would provide you with an update as much as we can from a football perspective.

We have been in regular contact with our playing group, via our social media platform, as well as zoom meetings set up within our training PODs, leadership and coaching groups.

The playing group is tracking well, keeping up their maintenance program as much as they can do individually, and have just started to get together in their training PODs up to 10 players in each. This has been a welcome relief for them, as they get to get together and converse, push each other and also dish out some banter which I’m sure most have been missing.

We are hoping like everyone, that we can start to get together and use the balls, equipment and put together some solid training sessions ASAP as when this came about, it felt as though the rug had been taken from under us just before the season was about to kick off. Although this was not ideal, as I’ve mentioned before, it has given time for a few guys to fully recover from injury and rehab which means these guys should be able to go for Round 1, whenever that is.

The hard part for everyone now is the uncertainty of timing. There is no definitive end date to this, which means no definitive start date for our competition. However, with the recent progress in WA from a medical point of view, there seems to be some hope on the horizon, which has given all involved at Swans and the WAFL a little kick along in hope.

I know all involved in the football department are pushing really hard to get the season up and going ASAP, as long as we are able to do so from the medical and government advice. When we do, we also know that it may look a little different somehow, and we will need to really unite together as a club to make sure it is viable, not a problem for us, as this again is one of values – We fly together.

Another real positive for me that has come out of this, is just how proud I am to be associated with the Swan Districts Football Club. We all saw Jameson Ugle and his tremendous story along side his school mate, but another that has come out during this time, is our very own league Utility Nathan Blakely. ‘The Doc’ has been working on the front line during this pandemic putting his own safety at risk for the WA community, something most of us could only imagine what that would be like. All the while still keeping himself in condition ready to play WAFL footy when we can.

During times like this, it can be easy to say things are a little too hard, and we just batten down the hatches and ride it out. That hasn’t been the case at SDFC, the powers that be have come up with a great initiative in our skills challenge. Some of our playing group have put together the skills videos, 7 over 7 weeks, for the challenge of the younger brigade through the community to complete.

The videos have started rolling in, and I must say there is something special and really uplifting watching the videos!! Hearing/seeing the junior Swannies fans complete the skill and give an example of how they have lived their values throughout this time is terrific. Please keep them coming, as they do give us a real buzz at the footy club seeing this done.

There isn’t much more to report from a football perspective as you can imagine, other than that we will be ready to go, when the doors open. I implore all Swans people to get behind the club when we do, and look forward to having a drink together after our first win of 2020.