If you were looking to describe David Swallow you wouldn’t have to know him well to come up with words like loyalty and resilience.
Fifteen years at an expansion club after leaving home at barely 17 years of age says it all. Especially after he moved to the opposite side of the country, as far away as the AFL world allows. He’s been a five-star trail-blazer.
And if you ask anyone who does know him, or has dealt with him along the journey, they’ll quickly add something like “great bloke” to the list. Which translates to a person of the highest quality.
That Swallow was picked to play his 248th game in the SUNS’ first final against Fremantle in Perth on Saturday night having not played since a PCL injury in the VFL is proof to his character, and the regard with which he is held at the club. Especially when coach Damien Hardwick announced it 48 hours ahead of time on AFL360 on Tuesday night.
But in a week in which the now 32-year-old warrior has announced his pending retirement there is another word popular in an ever-expanding sporting vernacular that is applicable to the SUNS champion - unicorn.
Because in an AFL history that encompasses 13,272 players at 20 clubs over 129 years, and only 396 players who have had the special honour of being members of a club’s very first team, he is one of a kind.
Swallow, a ‘great bloke’ trail-blazer who breaths resilience and loyalty, is the great survivor. The only first-team player in history to wear the colours of his club for 15 years.
The hard-edged but soft-hearted warrior, who has played his entire career in the #24 SUNS jumper, has lasted one year longer than the recent GWS retiree Callan Ward.
And that after Swallow played as a 17-year-old in a SUNS development side the year before the club’s entry to the AFL.
Recounting Swallow’s extraordinary career ahead of the club’s historic finals debut it is entirely appropriate to go back 12 months before the start of the club’s AFL journey in 2011. To a moment in club history that has been largely forgotten.
On Saturday, April 10 2010, even before the club had a nickname, the Gold Coast played their first game in the VFL against Port Melbourne at Southport. They lost by 12 points after scores were level at halftime.
An ABC report at the time told how all eyes were on 2007 Geelong premiership player Nathan Ablett, who was making his much publicised return to football. But the son of the legendary Gary Ablett Snr failed to fire, finishing goalless with just one kick.
The report said ex-North Melbourne player Daniel Harris was best for the Gold Coast with four goals, while defender Michael Coad and ruckman Zac Smith also impressed with a young West Australian, Swallow.
He was extra young, 141 days beyond his 17th birthday, but was a budding star. He’d won the Larke Medal as the best player at the 2009 Under 18 Championships, where he shared All-Australian selection with none other than Dustin Martin. And future AFL stars Jack Darling, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Ben Cunnington, Daniel Talia, Brad Sheppard and Gary Rohan, and future SUNS teammates Brandon Matera and Josh Toy.
Because the SUNS had already been guaranteed pick #1 in the 2010 AFL National Draft, and had committed to use it on Swallow, he was given permission to join the club early.
The SUNS team in their first VFL game was:
B: Matt Shaw, Jack Hutchins, Michael Gugliotta
HB: Mav Weller, Michael Coad, Taylor Hine
C: Luke Russell, Marc Lock (c), Trent McKenzie
HF: Alik Magin, Charlie Dixon, Brandon Matera
F: Liam Patrick, Nathan Ablett, Rex Liddy
R: Zac Smith, Daniel Harris, Sam Iles
Int: Danny Stanley, Rory Thompson, Hayden Jolly, David Swallow, Joey Daye, Luke Shreeve.
Coach: Guy McKenna.
All but Gugliotta and Shreeve played for the club at AFL level, but none played even half as many AFL games in SUNS colours as Swallow. Dixon, the next longest survivor of that group, left the SUNS for Port Adelaide at the end of 2015 and retired last October.
Only nine members of the SUNS first VFL side – Lock, McKenzie, Magin, Dixon, Matera, Smith, Harris, Stanley and Swallow – were members of the SUNS’ first AFL side on April 2, 2011. And Swallow, at 18 years 134 days, was the youngest.
Moreover, of the 396 first-team players in League history, he was seventh-youngest of a top 10 who are split wildly between the old and the new and have enjoyed contrasting careers.
- Ern Jenkins (Fitz) – 1897 - 17 years 216 days – played 182 games for flags 1899-1904-05.
2. Bill McKay (Geel) – 1897 – 17 years 302 days – played 2 games.
3. Chris Lewis (WC) – 1987 – 18 years 12 days – played 215 games for flags in 1992-94.
4. Norm McLeod (Melb) – 1897 – 18 years 25 days – played 18 games.
5. Bob McCormick (Ess) – 1897 – 18 years 26 days – played 1 game.
6. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) – 2012 – 18 years 100 days – 226 games – will play finals this year.
7. David Swallow (GC) – 2011 – 18 years 134 days – has played 247 games – will play finals.
8. Dion Prestia (GC) – 2011 – 18 years 172 days – 237 games for flags in 2017-19-20.
9. Toby Greene (GWS) – 2012 – 18 years 181 days – 260 games – will play finals this year.
10. Harley Bennell (GC) – 2011 – 18 years 182 – 88 games.
Josh Fraser, the oldest member of the SUNS’ first side at 29 years 87 days, was older than all but 29 of the game’s 396 first-team players. And only five of those were from the modern era – West Coast’s Ross Glendinning (30/193) in 1987, Brisbane’s Geoff Raines (30/229) in 1987, Adelaide’s David Marshall (30/265) in 1991, GWS’ Chad Cornes (32/133) in 2012 and GWS’ James McDonald (35/171) in 2012.
Swallow, set to play his first final in front of family and a lot of close friends in Perth on Saturday night, is one of five first-team players in AFL history to reach 200 games.
His 15-year stay at the SUNS (which includes the 2016 campaign when he did not play due to injury) betters Ward’s 14 years for 267 games (14 finals) at GWS after he’d had four years and 60 games at the Western Bulldogs.
Adelaide’s Nigel Smart was 14 years for 278 games (17 finals), Port Adelaide’s Peter Burgoyne 13 years for 240 games (17 finals), and West Coast’s Chris Lewis 13 years for 215 games (21 finals).
It would take a book to do justice to the Swallow legacy, but in simple facts and figures:
Club Champion – A remarkable 4th in the first SUNS Best & Fairest in 2011 behind experienced priority recruits Gary Ablett, Nathan Bock and Michael Rischitelli, he won the coveted award in 2014 and has finished top 10 no less than 10 times – 2nd in 2017-19, 3rd in 2021-22, 4th in 2011, 6th in 2018, 7th in 2012-13 and 8th in 2023.
Leadership – He was elevated to the leadership at 18 years in 2012, when Guy McKenna also added Andrew McQualter, Zac Smith and Karmichael Hunt to returning captain Gary Ablett amd vice-captain Nathan Bock, and new deputy vice-captain Michael Rischitelli, who replaced Campbell Brown. And after McKenna opted to give only Ablett, Bock and Rischitelli a title in 2013 he joined Bock, Rischitelli, Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia as vice-captains to Ablett in 2014-15. In 2016, he dropped back to an expanded leadership group behind Ablett and vice-captains Lynch, Prestia and newly-promoted Steven May, and in 2017-18 he was a member of an expanded understudy group to co-captains Lynch and May. From 2019-21 he captained the club in partnership with Jarrod Witts. In 2022, he stepped down to allow Touk Miller to join Witts at the helm but continued to serve in the leadership group until last year, when he stepped away completely while still filling an important support role as needed.
Year-by-Year – His games year by year reads 21-12-18-22-6-0-18-20-22-15-21-22-23-20-7.
At Home – Having played 104 times at People First Stadium, he holds the ground record from Miller (90), Jarrod Harbrow (88), Alex Sexton (76) and Witts (73). He’s equal 12th for goals at People First Stadium with 47, behind Tom Lynch (139), Ben King (111), ex-Bears pair Brad Hardie (98) and Roger Merrett (85), Sexton (74), Ben Ainsworth (74) and Gary Ablett Jnr (72).
Most AFL Venues - Having added a 22nd different AFL venue to his travel itinerary when the SUNS played in Mt Barker last year, he holds the AFL record for most venues. On top of his 104 games at People First Stadium he’s played at Marvel Stadium (33), Gabba (11), MCG (11), Adelaide Oval (11), Perth Stadium (9), Kardinia Park (8), SCG (8), Cairns (7), Darwin (7), Sydney Showgrounds (6), Subiaco (5), Canberra (4), Ballarat (4), Football Park (3), Launceston (3), Hobart (1), Norwood (1), Mt.Barker (1), Alice Springs (1), Townsville (1) and Shanghai Stadium in China (1).
Most Games Without a Final - Swallow’s selection for Friday night means he will surrender the unwanted AFL record for ‘most games without a final’. It will go back to St Kilda’s Trevor Barker, who was 230 games without a final from 1975-89.
Most Games Before A Final – Set to play his first final in his 248th game, Swallow will slot into second spot on the ‘Most Games Before a Final” list behind Melbourne champion Robbie Flower, who was 269 games to his first final, and ahead of John Murphy, ex-Fitzroy, South Melbourne and North Melbourne rover and father of Carlton 300-gamer Marc Murphy, who was 242 games.
Most Coaches – With Sexton and fellow retiree Sean Lemmens, Swallow shares the distinction of being the only SUNS to have played under each of the club’s six AFL coaches – Guy McKenna, Rodney Eade, Dean Solomon, Stuart Dew, Steven King and Damien Hardwick. Swallow is the only one of this trio to have played in the first game of each coach.
The ’Winningest” Sun - Swallow leads the club in the most important statistic – wins. With 75 he heads Touk Miller (69), Jarrod Witts (60), Sam Collins (58), Alex Sexton (55), Wil Powell (55), Noah Anderson (54), Matt Rowell (51) and Nick Holman (54).
SUNS Statistics – With 2662 kicks, 825 marks, 2101 handballs, 4763 possessions, 111 goals, 992 tackles, 888 clearances, 797 inside 50s, 212 free kicks for, 243 free kicks against, 25 Brownlow Medal votes and 101 goal assists, Swallow ranks prominently in each category.
The games record-holder also heads the club in kicks, marks, inside 50s and free kicks against, is 2nd to Miller in handballs, possessions, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, tackles, clearances and goal assists, and 3rd behind Witts and Miller for free kicks for. He’s 8th for Brownlow votes behind Ablett (122), Miller (66), Noah Anderson (58), Matt Rowell (50), Tom Lynch (32), Aaron Hall (27) and Harley Bennell (26).
Career Best – His career-high 37 possessions came in his 61st game against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in 2014, when he also kicked two goals and picked up two Brownlow votes in a 32-point loss. In further proof of his ‘never say die’ attitude, his career-high four goals also came in a loss against Carlton at People First Stadium in 2023. The SUNS went down by four points after being 33 points up at quarter-time.
SUNS Games Record - Swallow took the SUNS games record from first-game teammate Jarrod Harbrow in Round 19, 2022 when, back at the Gabba where it all began, he played his 193rd game against Brisbane.
His retirement as the SUNS games record-holder will put him alongside 19 players who hold the corresponding record at other clubs. The elite of the elite in AFL history.
It’s an interesting quiz if you stop here. Who are they? But if not, they are:
Adelaide – Andrew McLeod – 340
Brisbane – Simon Black - 322
Carlton – Craig Bradley – 375
Collingwood – Scott Pendlebury (*) - 423
Essendon – Dustin Fletcher – 400
Fitzroy – Kevin Murray – 333
Fremantle – David Mundy – 376
Geelong – Tom Hawkins – 359
GWS – Callan Ward – 267
Hawthorn – Michael Tuck – 426
Melbourne – David Neitz – 306
North Melb – Brent Harvey – 432
Port Adelaide – Travis Boak 387
Richmond – Kevin Bartlett – 403
St Kilda – Robert Harvey – 383
Sydney – Adam Goodes – 372
University – Bert Hurrey – 101
W/Bulldogs – Brad Johnson – 364
W/Coast – Shannon Hurn – 333
(*) Pendlebury is prior to the 2025 AFL finals.
