The Swannies at last year’s Test Cricket match at the MCG. Attendees included former presidents (Kainey, Willy and Limbrick), a former skipper (Monkey), current presidents (Johns and Shiells) and the official historian of the Vietnam Football League (Middleton).

The hits just keep getting bigger with the Swannies and this Christmas back in Melbourne is set to reach even higher heights.

Again, the Swannies will be holding the following annual events:

• Friday, 28 Dec – Vietnam Swans’ 8th Annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic, Ivanhoe Golf Course, Melbourne (previously 29 Dec)
• Friday, 28 Dec – Vietnam Swans’ 2nd Annual Twilight Celebration Soiree, pub (tbc), inner Melbourne (previously 29 Dec)
• Saturday, 29 Dec – Vietnam Swans’ 6th Annual Test Cricket Day, Members’ Pavilion, MCG. Aust Vs Sri Lanka (previously 28 Dec)

Usually, the Swannies go to the cricket on Day 3 (28 Dec), however, we have received the following awesome suggestion from our former Saigon Prez, Dez, now the Melbournian who wrote,  “Josh (Little, our former coach) and I were thinking we could organise the Swannies’ Cricket Day this year. We were thinking that it could be squeezed into the 4th day of the test, which is on a Saturday.  I was thinking that this might make it a bit easier for people to attend.”

Sold!

That means we will hold the 8th Annual Ryan Jeffery Golf Classic the day before on the Friday. This will be followed by the 2nd Annual Twilight Celebration Soiree which was such a success last year.

Ryan Jeffery tees off at last year’s Swannies’ Golf Classic. Right, former Hanoi Prez and Taber Talks’ DT with veterans Kenny Earney and Stan Middleton together with another former Hanoi Prez, Dave Kainey at the Inaugural Twilight Celebration Soiree..

Last year we had approximately 25 Swannies, including Vietnam Veterans (some of whom went to the cricket), attend a pub in inner Melbourne. There, we had a couple of Swannies’ banners from events during the year and a Swannies’ slideshow showcasing our achievements through the year. This year we will also have a couple of speakers to explain what has happened this year as well as looking forward to 2013, which will be the Club’s 10th anniversary. We also ask one of the original Swannies to speak about what it was like in the early days and what it has been like to observe the Club’s development and progression from afar. This should further consolidate the bond between players who have been with the Club through different stages of its journey.

The twilight soiree will also provide the perfect opportunity to distribute tickets to the following day’s test cricket where we will be in the MCC Members’ Pavillion at  the MCG.

Last week, Swannie from Saigon, now residing in Tassie, Rick Gaffney wrote, that the itinerary “sounds fantastic. I will come over Friday morning (bringing my brother as well) have a hit and then have a couple of coldies and do the test on the 29^th. I will  book my flights.”

Phil Murphy from Hanoi who is now back in Ballarat, Victoria wrote yesterday, “Looking forward to the December events and basically re-engaging in all that the Swans can offer – we all have a common thread regardless of where we live: we played the great game in Vietnam. So, bring it on!”

The Mega Melbourne Swannies’ Functions will be awesomeness plus. To register your preliminary interest in attending these events (no payment required as yet), please email Phil Johns at vietnamswans@gmail.com