Sydney’s latest AFL recruiting success story, Tony Armstrong, is proving something of a lucky charm after going from being a crazy supporter of the club to one of its emerging stars.
Armstrong has effectively replaced Sydney stalwart Tadhg Kennelly, adding dash from half back and the wing since moving across from Adelaide.
Knee and groin injuries have restricted him to five games, but he has yet to experience a defeat and has tallied more than 20 touches in two of his past three matches.
“It took me a little while to get my footy going, but I feel like I’m getting there now,” Armstrong told AAP.
A scion of Western Sydney, Armstrong supported the Swans as a child before GWS was even a twinkle in AFL boss Andrew Demetriou’s eye.
He was at the SCG to watch Tony Lockett kick his 1300th goal and was at Sydney’s 2005 grand final win, but missed the GF loss the following year.
“I was a crazy supporter,” Armstrong said.
Drafted by Adelaide in 2007, he played 14 games for the Crows before being traded to Sydney in late 2011 in exchange for Lewis Johnston.
Despite starting his footy career with Western Sydney’s Liverpool Eagles as a nine-year-old, Armstrong wasn’t tempted to explore the possibility of a place at the fledgling GWS franchise.
“My manager didn’t have any talks with them but, if I was ever going to come to NSW, it was always going to be as a Swan, I think,” Armstrong said.
He admitted Sydney’s outstanding record for regenerating the career of players signed from interstate had been one of the main reasons for his move home.
“As a player at other clubs, you are always comparing your own club’s culture to other clubs and the benchmark has always been the Swans,” Armstrong said.
“Some of our best players like Ted Richards and Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn have all come from other clubs, so it’s a great track record and I’m sure it will continue.”
Despite his blossoming AFL career, Australian Rules hasn’t totally captivated the minds of his family.
“They won’t come if it’s raining, which I think is very Sydney of them,” Armstrong joked.
“They are all staunch rugby league supporters.”
