Trade Whispers / Rumours and Confirmations

[Go Swannies]

After DirtyKurt last year and now Buddy, who's next?

Apparently Ben Roberts-smith is looking for a new team.

Another tall so I don't think so. But he's a player you'd go into battle with.

[Cardinal]

Now that I think about it, maybe Dermott is right! We have put aside a million dollars in salary cap...because (obviously) our "top four" "incredibly deep" midfield is only being paid about what other teams' midfields are paid. So maybe the really deep questions need to revolve not around whether we pay 9.8% on top of the negotiated rate....but whether our rates for top players (Jack, McVeigh, Goodes, Malceski, Kennedy, Richards) are 9.8% higher than the rates paid to Collingwood's midfield. I suspect not!

Here's another thought....why aren't the media screaming about the fact that the Premiers (Hawthorn!!!) have offered Buddy $1.1 million....or that Fremantle and Carlton (who already have Judd on $1m) were prepared to do the same??? OR that Adelaide offered Tippett $880k or that Essendon spent as much on Goddard as we did on Tippett????? I know this is just too logical for the Melbourne media but sheesh! How can Collingwood afford Cloke, Reid, Brown, Pendlebury, Swan, Shaw?????? It's an outrage - there needs to be an investigation. Hawthorn have had Roughy AND Buddy for 9 years - it's a disgrace! Who's been cooking the books at Glenferrie??????

Apologies - I inadvertently plagiarised your point in another thread ? we must belong to the same demographic of Swan?s supporters. They're important points because they illustrate an irrational and emotional response by the Melbourne media.

But yes, it?s amazing that the Swans who have a bunch of players the Melbourne media can?t even name are all of sudden have a dozen mega-stars placing pressure on our salary cap.

[Auntie.Gerald]

problem is that this is now melb vs australia !!!

the melb press and CEO's love to make this spin !

[ernie koala]

Don't you think there is a risk that Buddy's knees might not last for NINE years??

Certainly...But from what I've heard, just vague hints at this stage from Ireland, the last few years could be a non playing role of some description for Buddy.

Not sure how that works with the cap, but we have some smart operators at the Swans, so we'll have to wait and see the finer details.

[BillyRayCypress]

As pointed out in today's Telegraph, Alex Johnson had a second knee reconstruction in late July so the earliest he could play would be mid season. As we all know, missing a pre-season and so much of the season, I imagine that the Swans have to factor very little input from him next year.

[CureTheSane]

I'm wrapt. Great player, BETTER drawcard for the fans.
The Swans NEED this kind of addition to keep the interests alive and to further pump AFL into NSW.

My only interest in the deal is the terms of the contract.
Surely there are clauses for extended injury periods, injury related retirements, or even performance based.

[Jewels]

As pointed out in today's Telegraph, Alex Johnson had a second knee reconstruction in late July so the earliest he could play would be mid season. As we all know, missing a pre-season and so much of the season, I imagine that the Swans have to factor very little input from him next year.

Haven't read the tele so I don't know what the article said but it's my understanding (in fact I'm positive) that AJs second reco was Lars so he will be ready for pre-season.

[Alan]

Haven't read the tele so I don't know what the article said but it's my understanding (in fact I'm positive) that AJs second reco was Lars so he will be ready for pre-season.

I am sure I read that he was going for LARS with the second one.

[BillyRayCypress]

Haven't read the tele so I don't know what the article said but it's my understanding (in fact I'm positive) that AJs second reco was Lars so he will be ready for pre-season.

The paper says that he will not be available before mid season. It would make no sense for him to have a traditional and then risk a LARS after the first one failed.

The story is on pages 72 -73 where either Richard Hinds or Jon Anderson list their SWans team for next season with Buddy in it. Its an amazing side when you look at it.

In addition to the two page spread, its on the bottom of the back page under the Dally M winner photo with a title BUDDY BEAUTY.

There is a 80% page story on page 11 (the other 20% is an ad) and the classic is the cartoon picture on page 27 by Warren. I'll try to scan it later but shows a Dally M REd Carpet with three wags and an NRL player and a tall tatooed SWans in gear with Franklin on the front walking on the red carpet. The caption says - "And a surprise on the red carpet at the Dally M Awards"

[mcs]

I think you are running with a old view of Sam's accuracy. Before his injury he was kicking quite well. Nick Davis has come to save us by getting Tippett and Reid to improve their goal kicking markedly. Sam's field kicking was also looking good.

Back on topic, I can't see the reason for going for Buddy, sure he is a great footballer but those possible contract terms could really limit our ability, tradewise, in the future.

It will only limit our ability, tradewise in the future if we have poorly designed the spread of the dollars across the contract. But, if as suggested, a lot of the $$$ are in the front say 4 years of the contract, we should be ok, as long as we hold onto the guys we already have.

Think of it this way. Over the next 4 years, my list of players that will probably retire are:
A Goodes
LRT
T Richards

R Shaw
R O'Keefe
N Malceski

M Pyke
H Grundy perhaps
McVeigh perhaps (will be 32 in four years time)

For that list, I see replacements of: Buddy for Goodes, Reid and Richards Jnr for LRT and Richards, Rampe/Johno/Biggs to cover the loss of Shaw and Malceski. We have no shortage of midfielders that will be ready to jump on Rhino's spot, and surely we can find another decent midfielder to replace Mcveigh (if we hold onto Perris, he will become a fine player I feel, and that's ignoring Lloyd of course and BJ). That really only leave Pyke and Grundy to cover. Naismith is a project player, but anyone that saw him in the last few games of the season could see just how far he has come from the skinny top up we'd seen last season. Give him a good run of 2 full seasons in the NEAFL (especially following the revisions to it that will remove some of the lesser teams, and make it a higher quality comp), and we will know whether he is going to make it or not, and hence plan to get another ready made ruckman, or run with him.

No doubt, for the first say 3-4 years of the contract, we won't have a lot of $$$$ left. But, consider that the salary cap will continue to increase, and we have all the ingredients for a premiership team already here, and the Buddy deal starts to make sense. I'm not convinced on the 9 year part of it, but if its weighted well towards the front, then I can't see that if we have to, carrying $350-$500K in the last 3 years say of the contract (saying he stays on the list but doesn't play much), or even having to pay a million out (and renegotiate the timing of a few contracts in the future to backend them) will leave us too badly off. No doubt it is a huge risk, but it'll get fans through the gate, and if we can make Buddy even a 5% better player than he has been (and whilst there are some, like the media slut Brereton that have struggled here - most players that come here do well), then we are ripe for a genuine challenge over the next 3 or 4 years to win more silverware. And in the end, that's what its all about - getting $$$$ in for the club, and trying to win a few cups. And for that reason alone, I'm happy enough to see our club taking the risk it is.

- - - Updated - - -

As pointed out in today's Telegraph, Alex Johnson had a second knee reconstruction in late July so the earliest he could play would be mid season. As we all know, missing a pre-season and so much of the season, I imagine that the Swans have to factor very little input from him next year.

Definitely was LARS, and I remember seeing an interview somewhere with him that had indicated he was hoping to be ready to go at start of pre-season. Hope everything goes well for him - plenty of people have forgotten already just how awesome he was in 2012, and especially in the grand final. If he get's his knee right, he is going to be a superb player for us for a long time, no if or but about it,

[Jewels]

The paper says that he will not be available before mid season. It would make no sense for him to have a traditional and then risk a LARS after the first one failed.

Found the following exert from an injury update article by Matt Cameron posted on Swans website August 13.

"Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson has undergone a second reconstruction on his injured right knee.

The 21-year-old, who suffered a setback last month when it was revealed the graft from his first reconstruction did not take, underwent hybrid-LARS surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament on Monday morning.

Swans physiotherapist Matt Cameron confirmed that the young defender?s second surgery was a success.

?He had what is called a hybrid-LARS technique, so he?s had a LARS as well as a hamstring graft put alongside the graft he already has in there,? Cameron told SwansTV.

?He?s got a fairly solid cruciate reconstruction and we?re hoping to have a really good run from here.?

Cameron said Johnson would now follow the standard rehabilitation procedure, which should see the number 34 ready to return at the beginning of the 2014 season.

?He?s really going to follow a typical LARS program and that will take us into the off-season,? he said.

?We?ll have longer before training will start, so he?s going to be ready we expect by round one.?

[Triple B]

My understanding of the AJ 2nd reco was it was a hybrid LARS/Traditional, in so much that they repaired his 1st reco which had been damaged and not completely failed and placed a synthetic ligament in there while they were at it.

EDIT: Jewels beat me to it...

[BillyRayCypress]

Hopefully Johnson will be right for Round 1. I'm just going on what the Telegraph said today.

[southsideswan]

Sam Reid told he is not going anywhere. Good news

[Plugger46]

Sam Reid told he is not going anywhere. Good news

Source?