Sydney Swans enjoying their best start to a season since relocating from South Melbourne

The Swans have worked hard to create success in the Sydney market. But in 2024, on the back of their best-ever start to a season, they’re breaking records both on and off the field.

The Swans have had their best-ever start to a season since moving to Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The Swans have never had it better in Sydney than they do in 2024.

John Longmire’s side has had a superb start to the season. They’re flying high on top of the ladder a game clear of their nearest rivals and with a 27-point lead on their percentage.

And it’s not just the fact they’ve already beaten four fellow top-eight sides in Melbourne, Collingwood, Essendon and GWS. It’s the way they’ve done it.

They’re the number one team in the competition for both attack and defence, and outside of a lacklustre showing against Richmond which they only lost by five points, it has been a flawless start to their year.

But the Swans’ success goes far beyond recent history with the numbers proving that it’s actually the club’s best start to a season since they moved from South Melbourne.

Since 1982, the Swans have never lost fewer than two of their opening nine games until this year.

The Swans have been riding high on the back of a record start to the year. Picture: Phil Hillyard

On four occasions they have started their campaign with seven wins and two losses, most recently in back-to-back years in 2015 and 2016. In their two premiership-winning seasons in 2005 and 2012, they started 5-4 and 6-3 respectively.

Their percentage also exceeds any of those seasons as well, with 2016 being the closest at 144.2 per cent compared to their mark of 151.9 per cent this year.

The most recent time that they only lost one of their opening nine matches was all the way back in 1945.

“These results are a credit to Horse, the players, the coaching staff, everyone,” Isaac Heeney said. “The whole club has bought into it to really ride this wave together on how close-knit we are.”

“It’s been good to get some reward for effort, but it’s been the way we’ve been able to do it,” Longmire added.

“Our scramble pressure (against Fremantle) was terrific, we felt that was a real positive. But it’s about making sure you keep on backing it up, and that’s what our challenge is every week.”

It helps that the Swans have also been able to field a stable team almost every week. They have had 17 players appear in all nine games this season, far and away the most of any team in the competition. Fremantle are the next best with 15.

The 27 players Sydney has used this year is also two fewer than any other team.

Winning has always been a successful formula for attracting sports fans in Sydney, and the Swans are no exception.

Some of their best crowds came during the golden era in 2006 and 2007, while 2018 also had a strong showing after a fast start to the year.

But this season is on track to break all the club’s records, including the South Melbourne age.

The Swans are currently averaging 37,738 fans across their four home games in 2024. That’s nearly 2,000 more than their current season record of 35,818 in 1997.

The most recent Sydney Derby was the highest-ever home and away crowd for a Swans-Giants match. Picture: Phil Hillyard

This year’s matches against Melbourne and GWS have also moved into the top 10 for the highest-attended home and away matches ever at the SCG.

It’s an incredible feat for the Swans who continue to cement their status as the biggest sporting club in Sydney. And with 75,000 members the target for this year, it’s no surprise chairman Andrew Pridham claimed getting access to SCG games could be as hard as getting Taylor Swift tickets in the future.

“The crowds are jumping on board and really getting around us and it’s bloody exciting,” Heeney said. “It’s some of the loudest atmosphere I reckon you could hear.

“It’s the consistency. There have been some games in previous years with a couple of seats you might be able to see, not that you take much notice. Now, it’s completely full and buzzing the whole time.

“You have moments throughout this year at the SCG that have been deafening. It’s an incredible show of support.”

Originally published as Sydney Swans enjoying their best start to a season since relocating from South Melbourne