After buying the Swans licence back from Powerplay the AFL would seek new private ownership to help the ailing club. A consortium led by Peter Weinert and Mike Willesee would take control of the Sydney Swans. The new owners found that the club was left in a worst position than they previously thought, as they sunk millions of dollars to keep it afloat. 

Things got more problematic on and off the field, with the AFL clubs voting on whether to keep the Swans in the competition.

<p>After buying the Swans licence back from Powerplay the AFL would seek new private ownership to help the ailing club. A consortium led by Peter Weinert and Mike Willesee would take control of the Sydney Swans. The new owners found that the club was left in a worst position than they previously thought, as they sunk millions of dollars to keep it afloat. </p><p>Things got more problematic on and off the field, with the AFL clubs voting on whether to keep the Swans in the competition.</p>

In the late 1970s the South Melbourne Football Club was fighting against extinction. Small crowds, lack of sponsors and an ailing Victorian Football League saw the Swans almost running on borrowed time. 
 
Despite an uproar from South Melbourne fans a decision was made for the club to move all of its operations to Sydney in 1982. What followed was years in the sporting wilderness, with the public not accepting of the team in a rugby league town. Fleeting on field success under a private owner helped them generate headlines and publicity, but it was short lived as the club were plunged into serious financial jeopardy. They were struggling to keep the lights on. 

With the help from some of the biggest names in footy the club would climb out of the mire and establish itself as one of the strongest sporting clubs in the land.
 
In this series we uncover the furore of the move away from South Melbourne, the challenging early years in Sydney, chaotic years of private ownership and the Swans' eventual rise as a new force in the AFL, as they broke the longest premiership drought in history.
 
This is the Swans' story, this is The Bloods.
 
Created by The Horde and brought to you by QBE Insurance, backing the Sydney Swans since 1987.