Paper today"Spida to Sydney"

[smasher]

I read in todays Herald Sun that Hawthorn do not look likely to give Spida a two year contract and word is he'll finish his career with the Swannies.How cool would that be,Bazza and Spida reunited. They've both matured alot footy wise since their days at Moorabbin.Don't know about their social lives.
It is hard to read into it as Spida has three or four kids whom he shares custody with plus one on the way. It is also common knowledge that he and his good lady are looking for property in South East Melbourne to have land for the kids and be not far from Waverley where the Hawks train.There is also talk around that he would go back to the Saints if he was offered the contract he wants.
Oh well,time will tell.

[goswannie14]

It was in the Sunday Age on the weekend, with a doctored picture on Spider in a Swans jumper.

[originalswan]

Fox Footy mentioned a certain number 24 being traded by the Swans to snare Spider - I'd say this is just rumour but regardless a 26 y.o for a 32 y.o regardless of his skill would be quite a foolhardy trade.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by originalswan
Fox Footy mentioned a certain number 24 being traded by the Swans to snare Spider - I'd say this is just rumour but regardless a 26 y.o for a 32 y.o regardless of his skill would be quite a foolhardy trade.

Didn't we do something similar with Shannon Grant and Wayne Schwass?

I think Torture for Spider would be a good trade.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by goswannie14
Didn't we do something similar with Shannon Grant and Wayne Schwass?

Yes, but at least we got quite a few good years out of Schwass. Not sure if we'd get the same value out of spida.

The story in the HS is just Mike Sheehan playing with himself again.
Link

[liz]

Originally posted by goswannie14
Didn't we do something similar with Shannon Grant and Wayne Schwass?

I think Torture for Spider would be a good trade.

Not really. Grant wanted out. Swans got the best deal they could from the Roos, where Grant had indicated he wanted to go.

[Q...]

Speculation or otherwise, I think getting rid of Bolton would be a big mistake.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Q...
Speculation or otherwise, I think getting rid of Bolton would be a big mistake.

I agree, that's why I suggested Torture as a trade. My fear is that if push comes to shove it may be one of the younger guys in the 2's that gets traded.

[Jeffers1984]

There is no way in the world that Hawthorn would think about trading Torture for Spida and there is no way in the world that Sydney would think about trading Jude Bolton for Spida.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
There is no way in the world that Hawthorn would think about trading Torture for Spida

Sorry I forgot to put smilies after that comment.

[Jeffers1984]

Originally posted by goswannie14
Sorry I forgot to put smilies after that comment.

Sorry mate. I'm not with it today. Some could argue i was never with it in the first place.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
Sorry mate. I'm not with it today. Some could argue i was never with it in the first place.

You must admit though, in trade week anything is worth a try.

[elroy67]

The thing that concers me (and clearly those at Hawthorn) the most with the Spida issue is the 2 year contract.

I am of the opinion that he has only 1 good year at best in him, and regardless of our need for a 2nd quality ruckman, I dont think we should be paying effectively double the rate to get one.

The Swans have a history of turning 'problem children' around in recent years, and hopefully in about a fortnight we shall see the fruits of thier most recent success.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that we could get Gardiner and make the same attempt. He does have the merit of being able to play a bit and at only 27 gives us 4 to 5 years service at surely a bargain price if he gets his body right and we get his head right.

I should also say that I'm not thrilled with either prospect, but If they were my only choices, I'd go for Gardiner.

[Xie Shan]

Originally posted by goswannie14
You must admit though, in trade week anything is worth a try.

Like this?

Ahh, the irony if we were to try something like that with the Hawks.

[SimonH]

Unless I've missed something here, isn't there a big problem with all of this talk?

1. Players out of contract cannot just make a contract with another club. There is no free agency in the AFL. They can only go into the PSD (or national draft); even if Sydney lost every single game between now and the end of the year, Spider would still be gone before Sydney reached its pick. I cannot believe that there is no crappy Melbourne club that would be prepared to offer him a 2 year contract.
2. Players on contract can be traded club-to-club. Come the end of this year, barring Spider and the Hawks reaching agreement (in which case he will stay with them in 2007), Spider is not on a contract.

Could Hawthorn and Sydney get together and do a bodgy 'trade' to subvert the system?

The way it would work is as follows: Contracts, I think, run till 30 November, 31 December, something like that; whereas trade week is early October. If Spider fails to reach terms with Hawthorn by the end of the playing year, Hawthorn could 'trade' Spider to Sydney for the balance of his contract (a month or two). In that period, he would be a Sydney player and Sydney would have exclusive dibs on offering him a new contract.

Sydney obviously get Spider, where it wouldn't get him if he went into the PSD. Hawthorn would get a Sydney player/draft pick whereas it would get nothing if he just walks. Spider gets to go where he wants. Everybody wins; except maybe AFL head office.

Would this be permitted? Anyone got any views?