Franklin -The Movie

[Reggi]

On the couch mike Sheehan - probably right. GWs offered $10m to Buddy over 6 years. We simply matched it over 9 years to manage the salary cap.

No wonder they feel rejected

[Melbourne_Blood]

I find it quite ridiculous when people from the Giants come and criticise the Franklin deal as irresponsible, and one they couldn't have afforded to pay. It's quite similar money to what they are paying Ward ( 800k) and Scully (1mill) . And Scully is just starting to show a bit now. Ward is a good player and may be elite one day, but neither are close to earning their pay check. Where those deals irresponsible ? They had the money to sign Buddy he just didn't wanna go there.

[bloodsbigot]

I tend to agree with some that when inflation comes into play about 5 years from now the deal will seem like a steal.

[Big Al]

I don't think the Swans seriously expect Franklin to be playing good footy in year 9 but since his contract money that year will only be enough to fuel fill a Mini Cooper I don't think they'll care.

If the excitement of the kids at the fan day when Buddy was around is any indication it's probably money well spent already. Although I was a bit annoyed his harem wasn't with him. C'mon Buddy, think about the needs of your supporters a bit more.

[Triple B]

Although I was a bit annoyed his harem wasn't with him. C'mon Buddy, think about the needs of your supporters a bit more.

Like Jesinta 'Powerade' Campbell ???

...pass the tissues.

[aardvark]

Although I was a bit annoyed his harem wasn't with him. C'mon Buddy, think about the needs of your supporters a bit more.

He was concerned Jessica would be jealous if she saw you hanging around with other women.....

[swantastic]

IMHO Buddy has signed for too much and too long.The Swans are smart if theres an issue im sure there will be a way out(fingers crossed)

[bloodsbigot]

I think too much money and responsibility is on the line for Buddy to screw up. It would be a matter of pride for him.

[Nico]

He was concerned Jessica would be jealous if she saw you hanging around with other women.....

What! The women were hanging around the sausage sizzle!

[Primmy]

34,000 members, and first game hasn't been played yet. Works for me. Its called having a marquise player everyone recognises. Plugger, Hall, Buddy.

[Xie Shan]

I think too much money and responsibility is on the line for Buddy to screw up. It would be a matter of pride for him.

Yep. I remember reading an article about him in his younger days, when he was going through the draft camp formalities, he apparently scored "off the charts" for self esteem, so much so that when asked if there was anything he wanted to change about himself, the answer was "no, nothing"!! I think the sense of pride will be strong in him.

[vincere]

Changing club when you've been let go, or not been given a fair go, by your previous club is one thing. Changing club when you've been the much loved star of a champion club, leaving good mates and a coach who was a second father, is another. This is a very big change for Buddy. And it has its challenges for the Swans players he's joining. How successful it will be for all concerned depends on much more than learning team structures or adapting to the Swans culture. Yes, they're professionals but they are also very human. We don't have that take it or leave it mentality of the NRL, thank heaven. We may need more understanding and patience than expectations or pressure at this stage.

[Reggi]

Interesting that David Noble from Crows believes the salary cap will double in the next five years

[magic.merkin]

Im of the opinion, that we paid a price that was enough to get him. It was a price we knew would diminish in value as the years rolled on (salary cap double^). It was a player that would draw sponsors, supporter interest etc. It was done in a way that didnt impede our other contracts for players we could ill afford to lose (mummy line ball, i think his body is the worry, and the swans went cheap his contract length because of it).

It could of course all blow up in our faces, especially if we lose some gun kids (though they are signing up in the cola cash grab of 2014). Also buddy could tank us with poor form in public.

But i think it will all be positive, the club will be better for it after some initial flak. Then in a few years with at least one flag under our belt as the salary cap increases we will be lauded as geniuses. Buddy will finish up around year 7, and we will pay him ongoing ala Bradshaw.

Dare to dream?

[ShockOfHair]

THis is the most thorough account from the Swans I've seen so far. Obviously Mrs Ireland's scones weren't too bad.

Buddy's getting paid less this year than what he earned at the Hawks last year.

Sydney Swans exude calm as the Buddy Franklin experiment begins


Ireland: ?I devised the contract and the reality is - and we said this to Lance early on - we couldn?t pay him in his first year even what he was getting at Hawthorn in his last year. We thought, if that?s the starting position, if you only do a six-year contract, to catch up what he?s given up in the early years, you might have a year where it?s $2 million. When we analysed it, the risk was better to go a bit longer and spread it out, which he was happy to do.


McVeigh: We couldn?t care less what a player earns, as long as he does the right things by the club, stands for what we want to stand for,? the co-captain says. ?For me, it was an overwhelming feeling of support for him to come here.