SAD cygnets Mia and Edwin had been looking forward to their first AFL game on Saturday and instead had another lesson in learning to pivot via the pandemic.
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Edwin, age six, could hardly believe his luck when his team, Sydney Swans, were booked in late to play in Ballarat - it seemed the perfect, one and only chance to get his Buddy doll signed. Now his larger-than-life superheroes, including Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, will be back in action on television.
Sydney Swans had been pencilled in to face cross-town Greater Western Sydney Giants at Mars Stadium before the rising COVID-19 threat, before lockdowns, prompted the AFL to shift both teams to Queensland.
It would have been the second bonus AFL game in Ballarat within a fortnight and leading into a Western Bulldogs home game still scheduled for the stadium next week.
Ripple effects have been felt across the city among those working to ready Ballarat for game day.
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Mia and Edwin's dad Mark Bruty said it was hard to break the news to his children.
Mr Bruty, who formerly worked in marketing at Mars Stadium, is a life-long Swans supporter just like his mum and grandparents. Originally from Sydney, Mr Bruty's childhood was spent travelling up to watch the Swans with his grandfather and the Bloods were in his blood.
He knows his kind is rare in Ballarat.
"It was not just about having some footy there in Ballarat but to have your team, especially being an interstate team, would have been special," Mr Bruty said. "Buddy is one player who is larger than life but there is such a history with the club in Ballarat from players like Dale Lewis, Plugger (Tony Lockett)m Darren Jolly, Dean Towers and Jake Lloyd."
Mr Bruty said his son was worried his Buddy doll will remain forever without a signature but Edwin was learning hope.
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