AFL world mourns death of Swans icon Round

By Chris De Silva and Damien McCartney

The AFL world is in mourning today following the death of Sydney Swans legend Barry Round at the age of 72.

Round was one of the key men responsible for the South Melbourne Football Club’s move to Sydney to become the Sydney Swans in the 1980s.

He was the Swans’ first captain following the move to Sydney, leading the team between 1980 and 1984, and won the Brownlow Medal in 1981.

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Tributes poured out for Round from all over the competition following his death, with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan highlighting the important role Round played in ensuring the Swans would be a force following the move to Sydney.

“The early days of the Swans in Sydney, after their painful relocation from the Lake Oval in Melbourne, were incredibly challenging for the club as they sought to generate a new fan base and establish themselves at the SCG,” McLachlan said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

“In a turbulent period as the club battled to build its new life and the competition itself grappled with the first stage of expansion four decades ago, Round held the player group together with his larger-than-life personality.

“Under his leadership, and because of his leadership, the Swans fought huge obstacles to lay down a foundation that sees them today as one of the great clubs of the AFL.”

Round began his career with Footscray, playing 135 games and kicking 136 goals for the club between 1968 and 1975.

He then added a further 193 games for the Swans in both South Melbourne and Sydney before his retirement in 1985.

The versatile ruckman was a two-time best and fairest winner with the Swans and also represented Victoria on five occasions.

He was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2003 he was also named as the ruckman in the Swans’ team of the century. Sydney’s award for the best clubman is named after Round.

Round is survived by his partner Jenni and his two children, David and Natalie.

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