Feathers are flying in the Sydney Swans‘ camp after the AFL club shook things up on the musical side of things during last night’s SCG clash against the Western Bulldogs.
Despite the home team walking away with the win, some fans were left fuming after the red and white dared to play Daryl Braithwaite’s iconic cover of ‘The Horses’ over the speakers at three-quarter time, in addition to the traditional sounds of Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.
The club presumably made the move in response to a petition calling to stop the playing of Neil Diamond’s classic at home games, which has been gaining traction amid calls that the song has “nothing to do the with the club, Aussie Rules or Australia”.
However, their choice to compliment the home-turf hymn with the pub anthem made famous by Aussie hero Daryl Braithwaite has not been well received by some Swannies supporters, who’ve taken to social media to make their opinions known:
What’s the deal with the horses song by Daryl Braithwaite at 3/4 time at the swans game #AFLSwansDogs
— Edwomble (@edwomble16) June 8, 2017
Cmon guys, Sweet Caroline was bad enough, I hope you’re not gonna make Daryl Braithwaite a thing #aflswansdogs
— Thingy (@McThingface) June 8, 2017
HORSES? ARE YOU KIDDING? THE SONG HAWKS SUNG AFTER CRUSHING US IN 2014? THIS IS EVEN WORSE THAN SWEET CAROLINE! @sydneyswans #AFLSwansDogs
— Hugh Robertson (@HRobertsonEsq) June 8, 2017
Aside from the obvious fact that ‘horses’ are a species of mammal that have no biological relationship to ‘swans’ whatsoever, most fans’ ire seems to stem from the fact that ‘The Horses’ is actually the unofficial victory anthem of their interstate rivals The Hawks (although, according to our m8s at Music Feeds, Hawthorn are apparently ditching it this season, which essentially puts it up for grabs).
Still, memories of the song soundtracking their historical defeat to the Victorian club at the 2014 AFL Grand Final may very well make it too much for Sydney supporters to stomach.
Either way, this likely marks the first time in history that a group of Aussies have not been stoked to hear Daryl Braithwaite’s surging feel-good classic.
We guess that’s the way it’s gonna be, little darlin’.
