Bloodlines: The Story of the Sydney Swans, One Memory at a Time

While most fans are finding their seats, the cheer squad is already hard at work, preparing the banners, setting the atmosphere and helping create the moments that players run towards before the first bounce. In this episode, Maddi Anderson takes us behind the scenes of life in the cheer squad, sharing what it's really like to stand on the MCG on Grand Final day, hold up the banner in front of...

Polly Porridge never expected supporting the Sydney Swans would lead here. What started as a love for the red and white has become something much bigger: a place in the True Bloods team, a voice in the Swans supporter community, and a role in helping tell the story of the club’s AFLW journey. In this episode, Polly shares where her love of the Swans began, the moments and people that shaped her co...

Oh man, this one was special. Sometimes football stories aren’t really about football. Tyson Hunter is a founder of Apparition Media: The artistic and creative force behind the now-iconic Adam Goodes mural on the corner of Crown Street in Surry Hills, Sydney. It is a powerful tribute to one of the most important figures in Sydney Swans history and Australian sport. What makes Tyson’s story interes...

For a long time, being a Sydney Swans fan meant the same thing. You watched the game, yelled at the TV, argued with mates and carried the emotional scars into Monday morning. Not anymore. Jev, one of the voices behind 100K Sports and a passionate Sydney Swans supporter, represents a new generation of fan culture. One built on podcasts, player interviews, wild reactions, group chats, social media a...

Zane Rednwhite has become one of the most recognisable supporter voices in the Sydney Swans online world. Through plenty of passion, a touch of satire and raw fan emotion, Zane has built a loyal following of Bloods supporters who tune in not for polished media takes, but for the authentic rollercoaster that comes with loving a football club too much. In this episode, we explore the rise of fan-cre...

When GWS entered the AFL in 2012, the Sydney Swans were no longer the only team in town. Darcy Carnahan has lived that shift from the inside. Now Commercial Sales Manager at the GWS Giants, he’s been part of the club’s growth from its early days, working across membership, ticketing and commercial as the Giants carved out their place in a Swans-dominated city. In this episode, Darcy gives a rare p...

David Lennon takes footy too seriously, or not seriously at all... we haven't quite decided yet. But one thing's for sure: his love for the Sydney Swans is as real as it gets. Originally from Perth, deep in enemy Eagles territory, David found his way to the red and white and hasn’t looked back. What started as fandom has turned into something creative, with his now-famous Swommentary series captur...

Most fans experience the Sydney Swans from the stands. Anita Murphy has spent two decades making sure that experience actually works. From ticketing systems to membership support to matchday operations, Anita has been part of the engine room that keeps the club moving. The part most supporters never see, but feel every single week. In this episode, we move beyond the systems and into the passion....

Most fans experience the Sydney Swans for three hours on a Saturday afternoon. Amanda Thompson lives the part of the club that exists the other 364 days of the year. As Head of the Sydney Swans Foundation, Amanda sits at the centre of the club’s long-term mission. From funding the QBE Sydney Swans Academy to driving community programs across New South Wales, the Foundation helps shape the future o...

The most entertaining chat this side of the Sydney Cricket Ground. Felix von Hofe has experienced elite sport at the highest level, but at heart, he’s a Swans fan first. In this episode, Felix opens up about his lifelong love for the Sydney Swans, the way his whole family comes together around the red and white, and the players who shaped his childhood growing up. From the stands to the living roo...

Some people don’t just follow a football club, they become part of its fabric. Diane Harapin Williams is the daughter of Kenny Williams, a man every Sydney Swans supporter remembers as a true legend of the club. Alongside her mother Yvonne, Diane joins us to share what it was like growing up in a family where the Swans were not just followed, but lived. We talk about Kenny’s lifelong devotion to t...

John Prentice is a true gentleman and a kind soul. Maybe that's why he's one of the many people who help sustain a football club long after the siren sounds. A member of the "Bloodliners Coterie", John supports the team through the Sydney Swans Foundation, backing the club beyond match-day and into its future. In this episode, he shares what it means to be part of that inner circ...

A quick note to wrap up season 1 of Bloodlines with your Host Darcy Smyth. A massive thanks to everyone who's tuned in, to the guests who have offered their perspectives and stories, and to Leo Barry for changing the course of history in 2005. We'll be back with more in February 2026 as the Swannies gear up for a premiership tilt in the season ahead. Merry Christmas to you and your familie...

Tommy Flanagan brings personality, humour and passion to the Sydney Swans community in a way very few can. Whether it’s through storytelling, conversation or pure fan energy, he’s become a recognisable voice in the red and white universe. In this episode, Tommy shares how his love for the Swans turned into content, connection and community. From his role in fan media to his time on the True Bloods...

Michelle Cooling doesn’t just manage social media for the Sydney Swans. She shapes the way the club speaks, appears, and connects with the world. In this episode, Michelle takes us behind the scenes of modern football storytelling. From the pressure of matchday communications to the strategy behind viral moments, she explains how a football club now lives across screens as much as it does on grass...

What happens when a club’s culture is so rich, so deeply ingrained, it becomes a story worth telling in its own right? Hugh Humphreys is the co-founder of Hustle Media and the creative force behind Young Bloods, a groundbreaking 28-part TikTok docuseries that follows eight Sydney Swans Academy athletes on their journey through the club’s fabled Bloods culture. With behind-the-scenes access, self-s...

Lachlan McKirdy has become one of the most distinctive emerging voices in Australian sports media. Sharp, grounded, and unashamedly red and white at heart. In this episode, Lachlan shares the story behind his rise in journalism, his experience covering AFL in a rugby-leaning state, and the memorable moments that made his connection to the Sydney Swans something deeper than professional. From press...

Joel Brown’s story is unlike any you’ve heard on Bloodlines so far. A lifelong Swans fan alongside his sister Krystal, Joel was front and centre during one of the most iconic moments in AFL history: Buddy Franklin’s 1000th goal. While most were caught up in the chaos and celebration, Joel and Krystal were there to fulfil a family promise. Carrying a photo and the ashes of their beloved Nan, Edna D...

Matt Gray, better known as Mitzy, is as good a storyteller for the red and white as you will ever come across. In this episode, we go on a journey through his lifelong obsession with the Sydney Swans. Mitzy doesn’t just follow the club. He breathes it, dreams it, and remembers it with a clarity that borders on magic. He’s one of those rare fans who stores every game, every moment, and every heartb...

Before the SCG Museum existed, someone had to bring it to life. That someone was Joe Moore. A passionate Swans fan and gifted writer, Joe spent the better part of two years researching and authoring over 200 biographies for the club's most influential figures, from Hall of Famers to presidents to premiership legends. Along the way, he conducted more than 100 interviews and penned over 250,000...

Barnaby Howarth's story exemplifies Bloods culture as much as anyone that's ever played for the club. He was drafted onto the rookie list at the Sydney Swans as a young man, despite being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 14 years old. He played in the Swans system during the late nineties and early 2000s. At the age of 25, Barnaby survived a life-altering stroke. Rather than letting...