Dermott Brereton and the League Teams panel preview Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions.
Sydney chairman Richard Colless to stand down at the end of the season. Picture: Sam Mooy Source: Herald Sun
Malcolm Colless with Barry Hall after the Swans won the 2005 grand final. Picture: Mike Keating Source: Herald Sun
RICHARD Colless has called it quits after 20 years as Swans chairman and will finish at the end of this season.
It will be hard to imagine the Red and Whites without the colourful and competitive figure driving the club.
Colless arrived at the SCG the year after I'd done my best as a player to run it into the ground - there's three consecutive wooden spoons (1992, 1993 and 1994) to prove it.
My teammates and I gave the bloke from Western Australia a massive challenge. The place was broke and friendless.
But two decades on the Sydney Swans are one of the country's great sporting brands and have a winning culture the envy of clubs across the land, and across codes.
He also helped the Red and Whites to two premierships in the last seven years and 14 finals appearances in the last 17 seasons.
The AFL's longest serving chairman could easily ride off quietly into the sunset, but that's not his style. He's going out swinging.
In his sights is Melbourne's AFL establishment and in particular Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
McGuire's campaign to have Sydney's cost of living allowance removed has been a constant source of aggravation between the pair since the grand final.
"I wish Eddie would produce some facts rather than the emotional and unsubstantiated rubbish he goes on with," Colless said.
Colless and McGuire have been trading barbs for more than a decade.
The Swans chairman infamously said, "up yours, Eddie" on ABC's Four Corners in 2002. He also provided a gesture to go with the words.
Malcolm Colless on Four Corners in 2002. Source: No Source
Eleven years on Eddie is still getting under Colless's skin and he is still giving Eddie the bird.
McGuire's commentary during Fox Sports coverage of Saturday's Carlton-Adelaide match ignited another clash.
"For Eddie to say in the Carlton-Adelaide match after Taylor Walker went down it's a pity their other key forward (Kurt Tippett) isn't playing is because of the cost of living allowance is really tacky," Colless said.
"My comment to Eddie is you're better than that you don't need to run a propaganda campaign. I think it's cheap shot stuff and Eddie is a smarter person than to have to resort to that sort of behaviour."
Malcolm Colless with victorious Swans players after they beat the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco in 2006. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph
Fighting for the Swans right to be in the competition and to be competitive is something Colless has been doing from the day he arrived at the club in 1994.
Three consecutive wooden spoons meant Sydney earned three number one draft picks.
Anthony Rocca, Shannon Grant and Darren Gaspar all played the mandatary two seasons in the Harbour City before packing their bags and heading to Melbourne to complete highly successful careers at other clubs. Rocca went to Collingwood, Grant to North Melbourne and Gaspar went to Richmond.
Today players want to stay at the Swans and be part of the now famous Bloods culture and others like Tippett want to be part of it.
"The Tippett thing gave Eddie a great opportunity to play the emotional card," Colless said.
"I wish he would deal in facts rather than selling this as an unfair bonus the Swans get.
"The cost of living difference is much greater than the allowance."
Meetings between presidents and CEOs are another source of frustration for the Swans chairman
"What frustrates me is we have meetings of presidents and CEOs and we talk about a united front and about equalisation and within minutes of the meeting finishing suddenly cost of living is a major issue," Colless said.
Colless will leave the Swans in great shape.
"I think the really good organisations are the ones that carry on regardless," Colless said. "With Andrew Ireland we have as good a CEO at club level as anybody in Australian sport.
"John (Longmire) is an outstanding coach.
"Nothing goes on forever you don't want to become the little old man of the AFL."
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