Nearly 3 weeks ago, the Swans Blog introduced the Count Down Clock for the 2007 AFL Grand Final. We were all very proud of it which is why we flew out Ian “Molly” Meldrum for the launch.

Since then it has worked like a charm. Experts believe the reason why the clock hasn’t actually stimulated any debate or discussion is that people don’t want to “cheapen our clock”.

Well, it now appears there has been significant discussion in other quarters – Singapore Airlines to be exact. Last week on 16 August, in an SIANews email headed, Countdown to the World’s FirstA380 Commercial Flight, SIA announced their new “online countdown clock”. The SIA countdown clock is above.

When asked if the Swans were ticked off with the Copycat Clock, a Club Spokesman simply replied, “Well, I guess we’d be the first to fly over the top of SIA in a while – and we’ll be first to hold our big event”.

Away from the cameras the same spokesman could be seen asking people whether they knew if SIA’s digital clock was automatic or manual. Apparently to keep the Swans clock accurate, the Swans have to set the alarm just prior to midnight so they can get up and change the clock on time. Every time.