Sydney Swans women draw record crowd after week of club turmoil
Captain Lucy McEvoy said the club’s backing was “just unbelievable” after 16,672 fans turned up at the SCG on Sunday, more than doubling
Sydney Swans captain Lucy McEvoy said the club’s backing was “just unbelievable” after 16,672 fans turned up at the SCG on Sunday, more than doubling the team’s previous attendance record. The crowd came at the first game of a historic double-header, a sharp show of support after a bruising week for the club.
The Swans had dominated headlines around Australia in the days before the match, with front and back pages carrying reports that questioned the club’s culture. Instead of a flat response, the women walked into a packed stadium. Loud. Defiant.
A record crowd at the SCG
The attendance of 16,672 eclipsed the club’s old AFLW record of 8,264 by a wide margin. For a team still building its profile, the number carried real weight. It was a statement from members and fans, and McEvoy did not hide her appreciation.
“It’s amazing. We weren’t sure what we were going to expect this week, but to see the support that we’ve received today is just unbelievable,” she told Fox Footy after the game.
She said the Swans’ supporters understood the side was united. “The members and fans are so tight and they know that we’re united as a club and we’re better than what we were at the start of the week,” McEvoy said.
On-field response
Sydney repaid the atmosphere with a 24-point win over Essendon, with the scenes after the siren described as especially celebratory. The players were relieved, and so were some in the group. McEvoy said there were “a few nervous girls,” before the team settled and “absolutely turned it on.”
It was only the second time the women had played at the SCG. For the club, the day offered a rare lift after days of unflattering attention. For the AFLW side, it also showed that controversy elsewhere at the club had not drained support from the women’s program.
The next test is simple. Keep the crowd coming. Keep the football clean. And make the SCG feel like home.
