IT’S the hometown of the premiership-winning coach but Corowa doesn’t get a guernsey on the AFL Cup’s 2012 tour.
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In what might be described as a snub, favourite son John Longmire won’t be bringing the cup to town on its official tour, which winds up at Wagga on December 9.
Cup tour venues were selected from a web-based competition that began in early November. The last stop for the cup is Rye, on December 18.
But Corowa has not given up hope of luring the cup — and Longmire — to town.
The council hopes Longmire and the precious silverware can make an appearance at the Federation Festival in late January.
Longmire’s father and Corowa mayor Fred said yesterday he was determined to make the event happen.
“He started his senior footy career at Corowa-Rutherglen and played his footy at John Foord Oval,” Longmire said.
“It would be great to see him and the cup at that venue.
“If he can make that happen he will, but nothing is locked in stone yet.”
The Swans’ flag win was also an emotional moment for John Longmire after his mother Christine passed away during the year.
Her funeral was held at John Foord Oval.
A Sydney Swans spokesman said yesterday Corowa wasn’t snubbed.
He said every effort would be made to have Longmire and the AFL’s most sought-after silverware appear in his hometown before next season.
The Corowa Council officially extended an invitation to Longmire to return home to celebrate the Swans’ thrilling win against Hawthorn in the grand final in September.
The move was discussed at the October council meeting after being raised by Cr Norm Wales.
Community and business groups also supported seeing Longmire return to Corowa.
Longmire is the first born and bred Ovens and Murray Football League player to coach a VFL-AFL premiership team.
He became the first O and M player for 75 years to coach a VFL-AFL team when he took over from Paul Roos last year.
The previous one was triple Brownlow medallist Haydn Bunton who coached Fitzroy for one season in 1936.
Longmire played one season for Corowa-Rutherglen in 1987 before joining North Melbourne.
Fred Longmire played in Corowa’s 1968 O and M premiership team and John’s younger brother Murray captained the club’s most recent flag team in 2003.