Sydney honours Adam Goodes with statue unveiled at club HQ

Sydney has honoured a legendary Swan with a huge surprise during a secret ceremony at the club on Friday.

Sydney has paid tribute to dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes by unveiling a bronze sculpture of the Swans champion as part of its celebration of Indigenous footballers.

The 372-game Swans legend attended a low key ceremony at Moore Park on Friday, where he was honoured in front of former teammates including close friend Michael O’Loughlin, Swans coach John Longmire and current AFL and AFLW players.

Goodes’ war dance he performed during the 2015 Indigenous Round match against Carlton was the pose captured in the sculpture, which was created by artist Cathy Weiszmann in close consultation with the four-time All-Australian and dual premiership player.

Adam Goodes has been immortalised with an incredible sculpture outside of Sydney Swans HQ.

Thank you for everything, Goodsey.#GoSwanspic.twitter.com/rNf0uAsZBx

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) May 26, 2023

Swans benefactor Basil Sellars, who commissioned the sculpture, performed the unveiling alongside O’Loughlin.

The ceremony coincides with the Swans’ Marn Grook at the SCG celebration, which is the club’s tribute towards the role of First Nations people in influencing the modern Aussie Rules game.

The Swans will award a Goodes-O’Loughlin medal to the player judged best afield on Friday night, with Indigenous star Lance Franklin the reigning medallist after his matchwinning five-goal haul against Richmond in the corresponding game last year.

Adam Goodes and close friend and fellow Swans legend Michael O’Loughlin with the statue of the dual Brownlow medallist at Moore Park. Picture: Sydney Swans

Goodes retired at the end of the 2015 season after persistent booing by opposition fans at games since a 2013 incident when he pointed at a crowd member who racially vilified him at the MCG.

The AFL and all 18 clubs apologised to Goodes in 2019 for their failure to adequately support the Swans champion following the incident, with the 43-year-old yet to reconnect with the league but remaining close to the Swans.