Swans Trade Targets

[liz]

Originally posted by Snowy
Wallace has privately expressed fears about losing Ottens because of their cap pressure. He has been asked to take a significant pay-cut.

It's hard to fathom how Richmond could possibly have salary cap problems, given their performances over the past few years.

[chammond]

Originally posted by liz
It's hard to fathom how Richmond could possibly have salary cap problems, given their performances over the past few years.

I think they made the same mistake as Essendon . . . they had one great season where they nearly made the GF, and signed up a number of players on expensive long-term contracts.

When the success didn't continue, they had to renegotiate and defer some of the payments (a la . . . Koutofides and Mercuri) which just compounded the problem.

However, there's been so much water under the bridge since then that you'd think it ought to have washed through by now (except for Gaspar, of course)?

[chammond]

I was sceptical before, but it looks like Ottens is now a definite maybe:

"Sydney's general manager of football operations Andrew, Ireland, has confirmed his club's interest in Ottens.

"We've spoken to his management (Elite Sports Properties)," Ireland said last night.

"As (coach) Paul (Roos) has said, we're keen to secure experienced players during the trade period."

The Swans see Ottens as a ruckman who could relieve and then replace Jason Ball, who turns 32 in November."

from Mike Sheahan's article in the Hun

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,10797246%255E19742,00.html

[liz]

Originally posted by chammond
I think they made the same mistake as Essendon . . . they had one great season where they nearly made the GF, and signed up a number of players on expensive long-term contracts.

When the success didn't continue, they had to renegotiate and defer some of the payments (a la . . . Koutofides and Mercuri) which just compounded the problem.

However, there's been so much water under the bridge since then that you'd think it ought to have washed through by now (except for Gaspar, of course)?

And then they keep adding highly credentialled players to their team - ala Brown, Johnson - who appear good on their individual performances but don't seem able to deliver anything teamwise.

Actually, if you look at their list, containing Johnson, Brown, Ottens, Richardson, Bowden, Tivendale, Krakouer, Kellaway, it's hard to fathom why they have been so hopeless for so long. Mind you, a glance at the rest of their list (a few promising youngsters and the injured Coughlan aside) and maybe it becomes clearer.