Lance Franklin to become a Swan

[ugg]

Nothing official til Friday but some journo already tweeted he spoke to the Swans who confirmed it.

[bloodsbigot]

Negative things about a move like this:
1) Will seriously threaten the swans cola.
2) Should have aimed to fill a role we needed to fill (Defender role).
3) May divide the team a little?
4) Buddy's best is behind him?
5) Lose young talent.

Not sure about this yet after getting over the euphoria. Seems a few bad things may happen.

The swans membership will skyrocket next year no doubt. Pushing for 40,000.

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Negative things about a move like this:
1) Will seriously threaten the swans cola.
2) Should have aimed to fill a role we needed to fill (Defender role).
3) May divide the team a little?
4) Buddy's best is behind him?
5) Lose young talent.

Not sure about this yet after getting over the euphoria. Seems a few bad things may happen.

The swans membership will skyrocket next year no doubt. Pushing for 40,000.

[mcs]

It certainly does raise some issues, but I will well and truly look forward to a Swans forward line containing Franklin and Tippett. How can that not be seem as damn exciting?

Whether it is a good purchase, time will tell. I do trust our club to be doing the best thing about challenging for Premierships now, and looking for ways to ensure we continue to be competitive going forward. I have no doubt Buddy fits into the previous category, but I have no doubt the club won't just be turning a blind eye to the other issue either.

And if the Swans have been doing the right with the COLA (i.e. paying 9.8% extra to every player) then there shouldn't be any issue at all on COLA. The Melbourne clubs can whine all they want if you ask me :P

Your points are valid bloodsbigot for sure, although I don't think it will divide the team necessarily. Tippett coming in doesn't seem to have caused issues. As for whether Buddy's best is behind him - who knows what a change of environment will do for him?

I do worry about losing young talent, but I'm guessing the club thinks that there are still enough older guys on the list that will depart over the next few years that will allow us to keep most of the young talent.

I tell you what - 2014 is going to be one hell of a season we are going to be the most hated in the league, and I for one, will love it

And as for an offseason of melbourne clubs and Eddie blowing up - even better

[stellation]

Jude $400,000
Marty $300,000
Mitch $200,000
Mummy $300,000
Jesse $300,000
Total $1,500,000

[Melbournehammer]

but haven't we increased the wages for a range of our midfielders to keep them at the club ?

[bloodsbigot]

It certainly does raise some issues, but I will well and truly look forward to a Swans forward line containing Franklin and Tippett. How can that not be seem as damn exciting?

Whether it is a good purchase, time will tell. I do trust our club to be doing the best thing about challenging for Premierships now, and looking for ways to ensure we continue to be competitive going forward. I have no doubt Buddy fits into the previous category, but I have no doubt the club won't just be turning a blind eye to the other issue either.

And if the Swans have been doing the right with the COLA (i.e. paying 9.8% extra to every player) then there shouldn't be any issue at all on COLA. The Melbourne clubs can whine all they want if you ask me :P

Your points are valid bloodsbigot for sure, although I don't think it will divide the team necessarily. Tippett coming in doesn't seem to have caused issues. As for whether Buddy's best is behind him - who knows what a change of environment will do for him?

I do worry about losing young talent, but I'm guessing the club thinks that there are still enough older guys on the list that will depart over the next few years that will allow us to keep most of the young talent.

I tell you what - 2014 is going to be one hell of a season we are going to be the most hated in the league, and I for one, will love it

And as for an offseason of melbourne clubs and Eddie blowing up - even better

The bolded part... absolutely. I remember only a few years ago from other teams supporters bragging, "OH YOU GUYS ARE IRRELEVANT." It's amazing what a little success can do to make you relevant, hey. I will embrace the booing.

[SwansBloke]

I was sceptical about the move to get Tips but that seems to have worked out. Buddy's obviously a star but I'm just worried about spending too much on one player.

Any chance Reid now goes? How would it be if we could get Heath Shaw for him!?!

[BillyRayCypress]

It is a $7 million deal over 5 years. It is NOT necessarily $1.4 million per year. So I imagine the money will increase over Buddy's contract.

Swans wanted a key defender and Reid will slot in. He doesn't have to kick at goal.

Barrett is talking about Hawks matching the Swans deal so that it induces a trade between bot Clubs. However, where is the accountability in that offer. If they do that, the Swans should let them keep Buddy.

It is amazing how the feeling over the radio is like a "death" in the football world.

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It is a $7 million deal over 5 years. It is NOT necessarily $1.4 million per year. So I imagine the money will increase over Buddy's contract.

Swans wanted a key defender and Reid will slot in. He doesn't have to kick at goal.

Barrett is talking about Hawks matching the Swans deal so that it induces a trade between bot Clubs. However, where is the accountability in that offer. If they do that, the Swans should let them keep Buddy.

It is amazing how the feeling over the radio is like a "death" in the football world.

[Melbournehammer]

but haven't we increased the wages for a range of our midfielders to keep them at the club ?

[Ludwig]

I think there are lot more considerations to the Buddy deal than meets the eye.

1. By taking Buddy away from GWS, we have gained a huge marketing coup. It is hard to say how much the Buddy factor would have drawn away from the Swans fan base had he gone to GWS in marketing and sponsorships.

2. This deal has been in the works for quite a long time. At the very least, we would have planned to move Reid to the backline. The numbers regarding salary cap and player positions would have been considered long in advance as well.

3. We now have Ted, Reg, AJ, Reid, LRT, Dre, Xav and Lockyer in contention for 3 tall defender spots, all at various ages and competency. Someone has to go and it will almost certainly be between Reid and Grundy. I think it will be Reid, because his big contract is not good value for a defender.

4. I made a comment on another thread, half in jest, about this being worked out in advance with Hawthorn, but now think it could well be the case. I think Hawthorn were resigned to losing Buddy and were looking to forge the best outcome. They would accept whatever compensation the AFL would offer, which looks like pick 20, but could involve another pick as well. The Swans and Hawthorn agreed that the Hawks would not put up a fuss about Buddy going the Swans, get their compo pick(s), and the Swans would trade Mummy and Reid to Hawthorn for picks 17 and 20. The Swans and Hawks share the spoils of the Buddy compo Pick. The Swans get Buddy and 2 late 1st rounders in exchange for Mummy and Reid. The Hawks get Mummy and Reid, filling 2 big holes in their list, in exchange for Buddy and pick 17.

5. The Swans may use their 2nd round pick to get a back up ruckman, such as Shaun Hampson, and use their high draft picks to get another key defender and a couple of midfielder in the draft or from GWS in a trade.

[Matt80]

It's a cultural decision for Buddy!

Bondi V Breakfast Point

Kurtely Beele and the Waratahs V The Parramatta Eels

Bondi Oporto V Macas on the M7

The Ivy Pool and Hugos v The Mean Fiddler and the Rooty Hill RSL

Westfield's Bondi Junction V Westfield's Blacktown

[Ludwig]

Damian Barrett is an idiot and Plough is not far behind. He doesn't realise that he whole idea of free agency is to milk the AFL for free draft picks. You lose a player you may want to move on anyway (Daisy Thomas for example) and get the AFL to compensate you with a free pick. It may not be the pick you want, but the freeing up of salary cap makes up for the loss.

[BillyRayCypress]

Ludwig your 4 th suggestion would be good.

Barrett is saying that the Swans will give up Mummy and Pick 14 for Buddy. I thought your suggestion is a win-win for both Clubs.

May come true as that idiot pelchen is not there.

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Ludwig your 4 th suggestion would be good.

Barrett is saying that the Swans will give up Mummy and Pick 14 for Buddy. I thought your suggestion is a win-win for both Clubs.

May come true as that idiot pelchen is not there.

[Ludwig]

I wouldn't be surprised if Vlad cleared this deal beforehand as well.

[BillyRayCypress]

GWS withdraw offer to Buddy Franklin with Swans set to swoop

I like this bit:

Earlier on Tuesday morning reports of Sydney's offer prompted outrage from Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and former Western Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy.
The cost-of-living allowance was hotly questioned by rival clubs when the Swans snared ex-Adelaide forward Kurt Tippett after winning last year's premiership.
Darcy said Franklin's move to the Swans would not be received well.

"I think there would be a riot. There would actually be a riot in AFL football," Darcy predicted on Melbourne's Triple-M radio on Tuesday.
McGuire, a long-time critic of the Sydney clubs' allowances, agreed, saying: "I think so."

Adrian Anderson, the former AFL general manager of football, said the AFL allowance for the Sydney clubs meant an argument could be mounted that if Franklin does go to the Swans, the league is helping to recruit him.


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http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/gws-withdraw-offer-to-buddy-franklin-with-swans-set-to-swoop-20131001-2upvd.html