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It does make sense. The Dogs' and Swans' trading objectives seem closely linked this year.
I am curious about the Dogs. If you believe what you read (and a high degree of scepticism is a healthy thing during trade week), they have set their sights on Sherman, Walker and Vez. It is hard to value what these players are worth, especially given clubs have less currency than even in normal years. But you can make an argument for them all being worth broadly something in the 20-40 draft pick range. The Dogs, however, have almost no currency, having already committed their first and second round draft picks. Even their second round pick is barely in the range. Their only declared currency is the Harbrow pick and Everitt. How are they going to land all three? Do they think Hill will also deliver something in this range? Maybe he will - after all, he's shown more than Vez. But there hasn't been much talk of clubs circling around Hill, whereas a few clubs are said to have enquired about Vez - and he still seems to have the aura of potential about him.
Unless they have something else (and Tiller or Stack don't count), I can see them needing our pick 21 to land both Walker and Sherman. I can see them trying to package some ultra-fringe player with Everitt (if he is SCG bound) and demand Vez plus our first round pick. Hope we tell them to get knotted - unless of course they want to throw Higgins or Ward into the mix!!!! Now Sherman has nominated the Dogs as his preferred destination, will their interest in Walker cool?
Am also curious about the Dogs' salary cap situation. Last year they were reportedly going to ask Aker and Eagleton to retire because they couldn't fit them into their cap (after they went out and got Bazza). In the end both played on but only after accepting significantly less money. So they won't have saved a heap of cap room by losing those two. Johnson has retired, but half his salary would have come under the veteran list rules. Can't imagine Harbrow's last contract was that huge. I suspect they'll have to juggle things around to Walker, Sherman and Vez in (with Djuekerra taking up anything Stack will have freed up) and even then it will be tight for them. And assuming they land the premiership (which presumably they think they have a good shot at given these recruits), the likes of Ward, Wood, Grant et al are going to be looking for decent pay rises in the next year or two. Maybe they have Bazza's salary earmarked to be shared around when he leaves.
They might also be banking on the new CBA for 2012 which is expected to deliver a significantly higher salary cap. But that is a dangerous game to play. A major reason why Essendon's list dismantled so quickly in 2001 was because they factored in much higher salary cap increases than actually eventuated. And, of course, all players are going to be looking for their share of a much bigger cap.
Will be interesting to see how things pan out.
I am curious about the Dogs. If you believe what you read (and a high degree of scepticism is a healthy thing during trade week), they have set their sights on Sherman, Walker and Vez. It is hard to value what these players are worth, especially given clubs have less currency than even in normal years. But you can make an argument for them all being worth broadly something in the 20-40 draft pick range. The Dogs, however, have almost no currency, having already committed their first and second round draft picks. Even their second round pick is barely in the range. Their only declared currency is the Harbrow pick and Everitt. How are they going to land all three? Do they think Hill will also deliver something in this range? Maybe he will - after all, he's shown more than Vez. But there hasn't been much talk of clubs circling around Hill, whereas a few clubs are said to have enquired about Vez - and he still seems to have the aura of potential about him.
Unless they have something else (and Tiller or Stack don't count), I can see them needing our pick 21 to land both Walker and Sherman. I can see them trying to package some ultra-fringe player with Everitt (if he is SCG bound) and demand Vez plus our first round pick. Hope we tell them to get knotted - unless of course they want to throw Higgins or Ward into the mix!!!! Now Sherman has nominated the Dogs as his preferred destination, will their interest in Walker cool?
Am also curious about the Dogs' salary cap situation. Last year they were reportedly going to ask Aker and Eagleton to retire because they couldn't fit them into their cap (after they went out and got Bazza). In the end both played on but only after accepting significantly less money. So they won't have saved a heap of cap room by losing those two. Johnson has retired, but half his salary would have come under the veteran list rules. Can't imagine Harbrow's last contract was that huge. I suspect they'll have to juggle things around to Walker, Sherman and Vez in (with Djuekerra taking up anything Stack will have freed up) and even then it will be tight for them. And assuming they land the premiership (which presumably they think they have a good shot at given these recruits), the likes of Ward, Wood, Grant et al are going to be looking for decent pay rises in the next year or two. Maybe they have Bazza's salary earmarked to be shared around when he leaves.
They might also be banking on the new CBA for 2012 which is expected to deliver a significantly higher salary cap. But that is a dangerous game to play. A major reason why Essendon's list dismantled so quickly in 2001 was because they factored in much higher salary cap increases than actually eventuated. And, of course, all players are going to be looking for their share of a much bigger cap.
Will be interesting to see how things pan out.
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