Years - 1897 - 1915, 1919 - 1981 (as South Melbourne) 1982- (as Sydney)
Home grounds: Lake Oval, SCG, Stadium Australia
First VFA match: May 1878 at MCG
First VFL match: Round 1, 1897 at Lake Oval
The first club in the area was called Emerald Hill, eventually after becoming South Melbourne in 1867 after they amalgamated with the Albert Park club. They switched back to Emerald Hill, and then to Albert Park in 1869. In 1880 they became South Melbourne again.
The Swans were Melbourne's opposition in Round 1, 1897 and enjoyed most of their success in the era before the Second World War. Master coach Norm Smith took them back to the finals in 1970, but thereafter they joined the Demons the league's easybeats for the rest of the decade.
South beat Melbourne at the MCG in every game between 1909 and 1919, then the Redlegs won every match there until 1931.
Against the wishes of a majority of their fans the Swans relocated to Sydney at the end of the 1981 season. Melbourne were one of two clubs to oppose a loan to the club to keep them afloat. Despite the objections of the Demons and Essendon the loan was granted and the side moved to the harbour city.
After a rocky start the Swans enjoyed a brief renaissance in the mid 1980s before their fortunes nose dived to the point where they were almost wound up a few years later. With the club having a membership of just over 3000 Ron Barassi was lured out of retirement to help rebuild from the ground up. In 1993 they won just one match for the season, against Melbourne at the SCG but soon made their masterstroke in recruiting boom full forward Tony Lockett.
"Plugger" joined emerging players like Paul Kelly in a vastly improved Swans side that made the 1996 Grand Final. They lost and had to wait almost ten years for another shot at glory - winning the 2005 Grand Final by the narrowest of margins.
VFL/AFL
| Wins | Draws | Losses | % |
| 94 | 2 | 117 | 44.13 |
Biggest Win
| Margin | Round | Venue | |
| 1 | 107 | Round 6, 1939 | MCG |
| 2 | 105 | Round 1, 1971 | MCG |
| 3 | 97 | Round 12, 1984 | MCG |
| 4 | 83 | Round 15, 1991 | SCG |
| 5 | 76 | Semi Final 1987 | MCG |
| 6 | 73 | Round 17, 2010 | MCG |
| 7 | 71 | Round 4, 1972 | MCG |
| 8 | 69 | Round 13, 1927 | MCG |
| 9 | 67 | Round 19, 1990 | MCG |
| 10 | 65 | Round 6, 1975 | MCG |
Highest Score
| Score | Round | Venue | |
| 1 | 26.21.177 | Round 15, 1991 | SCG |
| 2 | 27.11.173 | Round 19, 1990 | MCG |
| 3 | 24.23.167 | Round 15, 1979 | MCG |
| 3 | 27.5.167 | Round 24, 1994 | SCG |
| 5 | 24.21.165 | Round 1, 1971 | MCG |
| 6 | 25.13.163 | Round 22, 1982 | MCG |
| 7 | 22.23.155 | Round 6, 1975 | MCG |
| 8 | 23.15.153 | Round 4, 1938 | MCG |
| 9 | 21.23.149 | Semi Final 1987 | MCG |
| 10 | 22.16.148 | Round 12, 1936 | MCG |
Biggest Loss
| Margin | Round | Venue | |
| 1 | 124 | Round 17, 1986 | MCG |
| 2 | 116 | Round 18, 1997 | MCG |
| 3 | 101 | Round 8, 2012 | SCG |
| 4 | 79 | Round 13, 1943 | Punt Road |
| 5 | 78 | Round 12, 1912 | MCG |
| 6 | 73 | Round 15, 1988 | MCG |
| 7 | 70 | Round 10, 1978 | Lake Oval |
| 8 | 69 | Round 1, 1977 | MCG |
| 9 | 68 | Round 21, 1985 | SCG |
| 10 | 68 | Round 21, 2002 | MCG |
Lowest Score
| Score | Round | Venue | |
| 1 | 0.0.8 | Round 12, 1912 | MCG |
| 2 | 2.3.15 | Round 6, 1898 | MCG |
| 3 | 2.7.19 | Round 15, 1913 | MCG |
| 4 | 3.2.20 | Round 8, 1897 | MCG |
| 5 | 3.4.22 | Round 3, 1912 | Lake Oval |
| 6 | 3.6.24 | Round 3, 1909 | Lake Oval |
| 6 | 3.6.24 | Round 12, 1909 | MCG |
| 8 | 3.8.26 | Round 9, 1905 | MCG |
| 9 | 2.15.27 | Round 11, 1919 | Lake Oval |
| 9 | 4.3.27 | Round 11, 1906 | Lake Oval |
Lowest Score (1980-)
| Score | Round | Venue | |
| 1 | 4.7.31 | Round 13, 2016 | MCG |
| 2 | 5.7.37 | Round 8, 2012 | SCG |
| 3 | 5.8.38 | Round 7, 1996 | MCG |
| 3 | 5.8.38 | Round 6, 2014 | MCG |
| 5 | 5.12.42 | Round 22, 2019 | MCG |
| 6 | 7.4.46 | Round 20, 2004 | Docklands |
| 6 | 6.10.46 | Round 15, 2020 | Cazalys Stadium |
| 8 | 6.14.50 | Round 17, 2009 | Manuka |
| 9 | 6.16.52 | Round 9, 1989 | SCG |
| 10 | 6.16.52 | Round 18, 1996 | SCG |
Shared Players
1900s
Joe Canavan
Jack Davidson
Horrie Drane
Henri Jeanneret
Harold Rippon
Norm Rippon
Ted Wade
1910s
Les Abbott
Harry Brereton
Frank Cummins
Bill Daly
Len Incigneri
Herb Joolen
Herb Matthews
Archie Pratt
1920s
1930s
Bert Avery
Fred Backway
Norm Matthews
Tom McMahon
Pat McNamara
Lou Reiffel
Jack Richardson
1940s
Billy Deans
Jack O'Keefe
Jack Quinn
Percy Taylor
1950s
1960s
Sid Catlin
Ray Dawson
Rob Dowsing
Graeme Jacobs
Terry Leahy
Herbie Matthews
Kevin Mithen
Ray Nilsson
1970s
Daryl Cumming
Stewart Gull
George Lakes
1980s
Garry Baker
Adrian Battiston
Michael Byrne
Paul Callery
Vin Catoggio
David Cordner
Jamie Duursma
Gerard Healy
Doug Koop
Shane Zantuck
1990s
Paul Bryce
Kevin Dyson
Wayne Henwood
Craig Nettelbeck
2000s
AFLW
Shared players
Aliesha Newman
Brenna Tarrant
Media
Age - 02/12/1981