Hanoi's Phil Johns presents Saigon's Phil Crouch with a broken hammer n sickle trophy after the Sourtherners beat the Northerners 99 to 53 in Saigon on 21 April 2007.

National President Phil Johns gives us our Weekly Footy Feast.

Dear Swannies, Sponsors and Supporters

  • Heritage Round Match, Hanoi, tomorrow
  • Grand Final Parties
  • Strategic Marine and Aussie Home Loans announced as sponsors
  • Reflections from a Swans’ Dad
  • The Countdown Clock
  • Rumour File


Heritage Round Match, Hanoi, tomorrow

Tonight, the Southerners will fly to Hanoi for tomorrow’s big Heritage Round clash. Hanoi will be dressed in the Sydney Swans kit while Saigon will wear the Vietnam Swans strip.

Tomorrow will mark the long overdue return of football to the nation’s capital. The last time the Swannies played a match in Hanoi was on 8 August last year against the Lao Elephants.

The Hanoians are pumped to be hosting this match and have put together a cracking schedule for Saigon’s favourite sons. It all starts at JASPAS tonight in Hanoi Towers.

The match will be played tomorrow at the UN International School, Ciputra between midday and 2pm. We shall then move to JAFA Restaurant for the post match festivities and the telecast of the AFL matches.

During the week, the Sydney Swans generously donated two footy jumpers signed by their 2010 player list for our Grand Final Parties. MJ picked them up - and immediately lost one to his partner and the other to his mother-in-law! MJ, make sure you bring them to Vietnam!!

Grand Final Parties

Tickets are now on sale for our Grand Final Party in Saigon. They will be on sale shortly in Hanoi.

  • Hanoi – will be held at Jaspas, Level 4, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung Street. Tickets are USD40 or USD35 with a Swannies discount.
  • Saigon – will be held at La Cantine On the 6, 6 Dong Khoi Street and will cost USD35 for pre purchased tickets. Tickets are on sale now!

Click here for full details.

Strategic Marine and Aussie Home Loans announced as Club Sponsors

As announced during the week, the Vietnam Swans are delighted to welcome Strategic Marine and Aussie Home Loans, specifically Aussie’s Broker, Mark Greenshields as sponsors.

Their generous support is greatly appreciated. Click here for full news of the announcement.

Reflections from a Swans’ Dad

A fortnight ago, Josh’s Dad, David, dropped into Saigon for a weekend. David came along to Friday night football, came out to training on the weekend and immediately fitted right into the Club. After returning to Australia, he sent an email to Josh reflecting upon his time in Saigon.

Among other things, David writes:

I travelled to Vietnam wanting to make a statement of support for my son. I admire his courage and stickability at having a go in another country away from his conventional support structure.

I always knew he loved footy (how many assignments can you do at school on the Essendon Footy Club?), but I was not aware of the degree of importance the Vietnam Swans has played in his sanity and happiness in Vietnam. I am aware now.

To read the rest of his email, click here.

David, thanks for wanting to be a part of this Club and we are extremely pleased to have you as a member! We look forward to seeing you next – probably in Melbourne at the Vietnam Swans Golf Day and/or Cricket Day in December.

The Countdown Clock

  • Vietnam Swans AFL Grand Final Parties (25 Sept) – 4 weeks.
  • The Asian Championships, Shanghai (16 Oct) – 7 weeks.

For all other Swannies events, click here.

The Vietnamese Government may rename the Gulf of Tonkin, for this weekend only, to the Gulf of Honkin'.

The Rumour File

As previously noted, it is just over a year since the last footy match was played in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese Government is rumoured to be so pleased that footy is returning to the Nation’s Capital that it has convened a Working Group to recommend what can be done to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

Apparently, top of the list of suggestions is a bold proposal to rename, for this weekend only, the Gulf of Tonkin. The rumour says it will be renamed the Gulf of Honkin’.

If true, this will certainly be no silent tribute to Aussie Rules!

Honk! Honk! Giddy up!