They say it takes a village to raise a child. In the world of the Sydney Swans, it takes an enthusiastic group of the faithful to raise the pre-game banner.

In the bowels of the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday afternoon, that small group spent four hours laboring away on the banner through which Dane Rampe will lead the Swans for their preliminary final against Port Adelaide, and his 250th game, on Friday evening.

Four hours of work for 10 seconds of fame may seem a laborious task, but for Liz Whiffin, who has been travelling down from the Central Coast since 2018 to help make the Swans banners, it’s a source of passion and pride.

A Tradition Steeped in History

“Banner making is just a part of being in … the cheer squad and part of the culture in the AFL,” Whiffin said.

“You’re not just part of banner making, you’re part of the cheer squad. What you’re part of [is] a whole group of people who carry on traditions that have been going on for years and years and years, and we’ve brought that up to Sydney.”

When Whiffin joined the Swans cheer squad, the tradition had long been cemented in AFL fan culture. And the Swans cheer squad has helped spread the legacy.

“We taught GWS how to make their banners as well, and now they’re doing it slightly differently,” she said.

The tradition traces back to the 1930s, when players raced through a tunnel from the changing rooms and supporters would decorate the “race” with streamers, but the larger banners became more widespread in the 1970s.

They have become a cultural staple of the game; even authors Leigh Meyrick and Matthew Hagias dedicated a book to the best banners.

The Art of Banner Making

Whiffin says the architecture of a banner relies heavily on the weather, referencing Collingwood’s 2018 grand final appearance when its banner fell apart before the players ran through it.

But sometimes the banners have to fail to ensure mistakes are not relived.

“We have to be careful where we put the sticky tape because we’ve had times where the players have gone into the banner and come out with sticky tape all over them,” she says.

Fans now expect banners to be made for their home games as it represents a tribute to teams by their fans.

“It’s a tradition in the fact [that] when you don’t have a banner, people go, ‘where’s the banner?’ Or ‘they’re too slack to have a banner’. There’s even cheer squad Facebook groups where we put our banners,” Whiffin said.

A Symbol of Love and Dedication

Ultimately, banners now symbolise the love and dedication of their fan bases.

“It’s a community, it’s a great group of people and we all get on really well together. It’s not just the banner making, it’s the cheer squad, it’s everything to do with it. We’re like a little Swans family,” Whiffin said.

The next time you see a banner at an AFL game, take a moment to appreciate the hours of work and dedication that went into its creation. It’s more than just a piece of fabric; it’s a symbol of the love and passion of the fans who make it.