Only the best fans for Luke

WHO would you rather have cheering for you in your 200th AFL game? Ten thousand fans? Or the 10 who matter most?

Sydney co-captain Luke Parker does not have a choice, but he has no complaints despite the COVID-19 restrictions taking him away from home to the Gold Coast for his milestone match against the relocated West Coast today.

Parker should have been relishing the occasion at the SCG in front of 10,000 Swans supporters, but, in a twist of fate, he can celebrate with members of his family, including his beloved grandparents, who watched him play every weekend as a little boy and now live up on the Gold Coast.

As well as a couple of aunties and uncles who also live in Queensland, Parker feels there is no more fitting stage for him to celebrate his rise as one of the most competitive Swans’ John Longmire has coached.

“I remember growing up from under nines through to under-15s and my grandparents were at every single game,” he said. “They absolutely love their footy. They moved up to the Gold Coast five years ago and since then they catch one or two games a season.

“I know how much my football means to them and they mean so much to me. They save their weekends up to watch my games and to have them at the game will be pretty special.”

Longmire tells the story of an 18-year-old Parker, then sporting a cringe-worthy peroxide haircut, marching into his office in his rookie season, pleading with the coach to get back into the team.

“I desperately wanted to play and be part of the future of the team,” he said. “He looks back on it and really remembers it as a turning point in my career.”