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Back page of the Daily Telegraph, Akermanis "Sydney Bound" Interesting that Roos will even put our youth policy on hold and trade draft picks if necessary to get him should he become available. Personally, I think Aker would be fantastic for the Swans.
Aker won't deny Swans move
By Tim Morrissey and Gary Smart
17may03
SPECULATION that flamboyant Jason Akermanis could be heading to Sydney is gaining momentum with the Brisbane Lions star refusing to deny he will be with the Swans in 2004.
During Thursday night's AFL The Footy Show on Channel 9, the 2001 Brownlow medallist stonewalled every attempt by panellist Sam Newman to get him to confirm or deny the hottest rumour in the AFL.
Yesterday, Akermanis, who comes off contract at the end of the season, again would not discuss suggestions he might become a Swan in 2004.
"I have no comment on that," he said. "All I am thinking about right now is going out and getting a kick and playing some good footy [against Adelaide]. That's the bottom line, that's what I do."
Swans coach Paul Roos, before the team's final hit-out going into tomorrow's Geelong game at the SCG yesterday, said the club had not made any approaches to Akermanis or his management.
But Roos made it clear that if the star midfielder was on the market, Sydney would be interested. Roos even indicated he might put his youth policy on hold for a year and trade draft picks to go for a player of Akermanis's stature if this year's new recruits proved better than expected.
"If you think two or three of them are better than you thought you might go for a 25-year-old," Roos said.
Akermanis admitted that Lions coach Leigh Matthews and club management had indicated they wanted to talk about next season but, he said, they would not say when.
Brisbane chief executive Michael Bowers said yesterday club policy was not to discuss player contract negotiations but said the issue was complicated by the fact the AFL had yet to set a total player payment figure for next year.
"In the right time and right manner we talk to all of our players who are uncontracted," he said.
"We are in a difficult situation, as is every AFL club, in that we don't know what the total player payment is for next year. When you have a good list of players who might be going up in value and you don't even know what the cap is, it makes life doubly difficult."
On The Footy Show, panellist Newman tried to catch Akermanis, who was being interview live from Brisbane via satellite, off guard by asking him if he would continue using the controversial performance enhancing respiratory machines or hypoxic device in Sydney next season.
Akermanis skirted around the question, forcing host Eddie McGuire to chime in: "I think [Newman] was intimating that you might be playing in Sydney next year Jason."
Akermanis quickly responded: "Yeah, yeah, I know what he said."
McGuire then moved on to the teams named for round eight before Newman had one last go at Akermanis to try to drag out a confirm or deny.
"Are you going to Sydney? And you know what you're doing by not answering," fired off Newman.
But Akermanis quickly ended the interview, saying: "Right guys, thanks for the interview, it was nice chatting."
The Akermanis rumours remain a side issue for the barnstorming Swans, who are looking for their fourth straight win -- against bottom-placed Geelong.
But being seen as the underdogs at the start of the season, the Swans go into the Geelong game favourites for the first time since beating Carlton in the opening round.
Swans defender Jason Saddington doesn't believe the team has got too carried away after beating Melbourne, Collingwood and Brisbane to be in sixth spot.
"I think we have just treated [beating Collingwood and Brisbane] like any other win," Saddington said.
"Geelong, even though they're sitting on the bottom of the ladder, have been playing pretty well."
Aker won't deny Swans move
By Tim Morrissey and Gary Smart
17may03
SPECULATION that flamboyant Jason Akermanis could be heading to Sydney is gaining momentum with the Brisbane Lions star refusing to deny he will be with the Swans in 2004.
During Thursday night's AFL The Footy Show on Channel 9, the 2001 Brownlow medallist stonewalled every attempt by panellist Sam Newman to get him to confirm or deny the hottest rumour in the AFL.
Yesterday, Akermanis, who comes off contract at the end of the season, again would not discuss suggestions he might become a Swan in 2004.
"I have no comment on that," he said. "All I am thinking about right now is going out and getting a kick and playing some good footy [against Adelaide]. That's the bottom line, that's what I do."
Swans coach Paul Roos, before the team's final hit-out going into tomorrow's Geelong game at the SCG yesterday, said the club had not made any approaches to Akermanis or his management.
But Roos made it clear that if the star midfielder was on the market, Sydney would be interested. Roos even indicated he might put his youth policy on hold for a year and trade draft picks to go for a player of Akermanis's stature if this year's new recruits proved better than expected.
"If you think two or three of them are better than you thought you might go for a 25-year-old," Roos said.
Akermanis admitted that Lions coach Leigh Matthews and club management had indicated they wanted to talk about next season but, he said, they would not say when.
Brisbane chief executive Michael Bowers said yesterday club policy was not to discuss player contract negotiations but said the issue was complicated by the fact the AFL had yet to set a total player payment figure for next year.
"In the right time and right manner we talk to all of our players who are uncontracted," he said.
"We are in a difficult situation, as is every AFL club, in that we don't know what the total player payment is for next year. When you have a good list of players who might be going up in value and you don't even know what the cap is, it makes life doubly difficult."
On The Footy Show, panellist Newman tried to catch Akermanis, who was being interview live from Brisbane via satellite, off guard by asking him if he would continue using the controversial performance enhancing respiratory machines or hypoxic device in Sydney next season.
Akermanis skirted around the question, forcing host Eddie McGuire to chime in: "I think [Newman] was intimating that you might be playing in Sydney next year Jason."
Akermanis quickly responded: "Yeah, yeah, I know what he said."
McGuire then moved on to the teams named for round eight before Newman had one last go at Akermanis to try to drag out a confirm or deny.
"Are you going to Sydney? And you know what you're doing by not answering," fired off Newman.
But Akermanis quickly ended the interview, saying: "Right guys, thanks for the interview, it was nice chatting."
The Akermanis rumours remain a side issue for the barnstorming Swans, who are looking for their fourth straight win -- against bottom-placed Geelong.
But being seen as the underdogs at the start of the season, the Swans go into the Geelong game favourites for the first time since beating Carlton in the opening round.
Swans defender Jason Saddington doesn't believe the team has got too carried away after beating Melbourne, Collingwood and Brisbane to be in sixth spot.
"I think we have just treated [beating Collingwood and Brisbane] like any other win," Saddington said.
"Geelong, even though they're sitting on the bottom of the ladder, have been playing pretty well."
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