Left, Bobby Skilton with the 2012 Premiers. Right, Bobby Skilton with the 2005 Premiers with the Hanoi Swans looking on from Hanoi.

In 2005, we had Bubbles.

At half time in that epic Grand Final battle between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, Bubbles said that we needed a photo of the Hanoi Swans under the TV during the presentation of the Cup at the end of the game. Sydney won the Cup and there were two great photos of we Swannies in front of the TV: one with Paul Roos and Barry Hall holding the Cup aloft and the second, turned around looking at the Great Bobby Skilton.

We decided to send Bobby a framed photo of that second shot: a modestly sized 20cm x 10cm photo. And, it was very well received!

Bobby said at the time that the Sydney Swans had given him a very cherished possession, a small replica of the 2005 Premiership Cup with the winning team and his own name engraved. That Cup sat on the bar in his home and next to it was the framed photo presented by the Swannies.

So, while Sydney repeated history on the weekend, without Bubbles exhortations, unfortunately, the Vietnam Swans were not able to do the same. Doh!