AFL slaps trade ban on Swans

[annew]

You just get the feeling that whilst these articles are being written nobody outside the swans really gives a damn. The AFL are very quiet in all of this, why hasnt a journalist interviewed someone from the AFL to explain? It leaves you gutted and in reality every club should be concerned as the AFL are changing the rules and punishing a club for nothing. I am so angry and just cannot get my head around it so imagine how the club must feel.

Yes I read that article and contributed a few comments myself. I am so angry and so annoyed that AFL House are so weak that they appear to have gone into hiding over this issue. I also listened to Malceski's interview at his arrival at the Suns today and I wonder if the swans would have given him a 3 year contract if they had known that the AFL was going to ban them from trading until 2017, we could have retained him if we can't trade anyway. I also don't understand why the press seems to say it is 2 years as my understanding is it is 3 years, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

[liz]

Yes I read that article and contributed a few comments myself. I am so angry and so annoyed that AFL House are so weak that they appear to have gone into hiding over this issue. I also listened to Malceski's interview at his arrival at the Suns today and I wonder if the swans would have given him a 3 year contract if they had known that the AFL was going to ban them from trading until 2017, we could have retained him if we can't trade anyway. I also don't understand why the press seems to say it is 2 years as my understanding is it is 3 years, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Pretty sure its just the two years. The COLA phase out was meant to be over two years - 2015 and 2016. Trading done in 2016 relates to the 2017 season so the threat to curtail the COLA phase out is meaningless.

[AnnieH]

Yes I read that article and contributed a few comments myself. I am so angry and so annoyed that AFL House are so weak that they appear to have gone into hiding over this issue. I also listened to Malceski's interview at his arrival at the Suns today and I wonder if the swans would have given him a 3 year contract if they had known that the AFL was going to ban them from trading until 2017, we could have retained him if we can't trade anyway. I also don't understand why the press seems to say it is 2 years as my understanding is it is 3 years, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The swans knew about it a month ago, so they knew about it in their discussions with melcho.
It's just been released to the public.

[wolftone57]

The swans knew about it a month ago, so they knew about it in their discussions with melcho.
It's just been released to the public.

The Swans were hoping to talk sense into the AFL but didn't prevail. This was not on the table as such it has probably been amended at AFL Commission level.

I am going to state it here and now. Gillon McLachlan, Eddie McGuire & Andrew Newbold certainly must know the meaning of the word perfidious. Newbold & McGuire were sent to the USA to check out the NFL Equalisation Fund & practice. They cooked up a scheme to get rid of Sydney's COLA together. They in the end enlisted guess who, you guessed Gillon McLachlan to their scheme. They knew Gillon would do anything to pacify the AFL's two most powerful clubs. What's more Gillon being a part of the 'Old Boys' network he would not be a problem. Then Eddie says his club will not pay the equalisation Tax. So much for Eddie & Andrew going on a fact finding tour for Equalisation. Equalisation is the last thing both these clubs want. With Equalisation coming in the AFL had to do something to pacify the powerful Hawks & Pies so the brought in Free Agency. While this helps other clubs like Swans, Lions, Freo, Eagles, Crows, Port, etc the ones who have benefited most have been the Hawks. Pies have just been crap at picking good players. The way to stop the interstate clube is simply to put bans on them so the BIG Victorian clubs win the premiership year after year.

This is what I call perfidious and dishonest. The AFL is both. Take it any way you like Gillon as you are the CEO!

[KTigers]

So here is my question. When the Swans pay the COLA allowance as the AFL requires them to do on all pre-2014 contracts, do they have to find the money themselves (ie thru their sponsorship revenue or membership payments etc) or do the AFL themselves fund it by paying the money to the Swans who then distribute it to the players. If it's the latter then surely a new benchmark in irony has been set by the AFL.

[JPK12]

I am really bitter about this, bitter in the sense that a small collective of club presidents lead by one toxic one was able to influence the AFL so much as to make policy on the run and punish a club for following the rules. How do you tell your child that the team they hold close to their heart is being punished for doing the right thing? While my kid doesn't understand the issue fully she knows well that her greatest supporting best friend, her dad, is angry because our team is being punished for doing nothing. She has listen to me rant to my wife about it.

Its been a horrid year to be following the club during a period in which we should all be proud of our success. But bitter, angry and negative supporters and their club presidents have made it the least enjoyable season i have ever had following the red and the white. Even during our lean time I dont recall such hatred and ill feeling towards us for no reason at all, especially from supporters of one club, namely hawthorn. Their fans are bordering on sociopathic behaviour. Round 18 was atrocious and i will never forget what i heard and watched with my own eyes. No one was spared by hawk fans that night. I could only imagine what it was like at the GF. If it was the intention of aggressive and bile hawk supporters to break our swan supporters will, then they have succeeded with this one as i am never going to a hawks match again, ever.

I am at my wits end tbh and i dont think i can endure another season like 2014.

[Meg]

AFL slaps trade ban on Swans

Response to KTigers question above:

It has always been the latter and will continue to be the latter for the two phase-out years 2015 & 2016 - unless the Swans engage in trading this year or next. In that situation the AFL would stop funding the Swans for COLA and the Swans would have to fund it themselves (as applicable to those players who have it written into their contracts) from within the standard salary cap.

We know from the phasing amounts of $800,000 and $600,000 how much is needed to fund COLA in the existing contracts. So if the Swans trade they would need to free up those sums within the salary cap. In other words shed one or more higher paid, valued players and replace them with low paid draftees or delisted players.

I think 'between a rock and a hard place' describes the options open to the Swans.

[Pmcc2911]

Response to KTigers question above:

It has always been the latter and will continue to be the latter for the two phase-out years 2015 & 2016 - unless the Swans engage in trading this year or next. In that situation the AFL would stop funding the Swans for COLA and the Swans would have to fund it themselves (as applicable to those players who have it written into their contracts) from within the standard salary cap.

We know from the phasing amounts of $800,000 and $600,000 how much is needed to fund COLA in the existing contracts. So if the Swans trade they would need to free up those sums within the salary cap. In other words shed one or more higher paid, valued players and replace them with low paid draftees or delisted players.

I think 'between a rock and a hard place' describes the options open to the Swans.

In the end it might not be such a huge deal, this years trading is done and dusted.
Next year the "cost" to trade is $600K, you would assume Goodes and Shaw will retire and free up some coin to go towards funding the $600K.
The real test for the AFL is wether they screw us over the academy next year.

[Mug Punter]

In the end it might not be such a huge deal, this years trading is done and dusted.
Next year the "cost" to trade is $600K, you would assume Goodes and Shaw will retire and free up some coin to go towards funding the $600K.
The real test for the AFL is wether they screw us over the academy next year.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the main game here is maintaining the long term, structure of the Academy pathway.

Any change to the Academy system should lead to a restraint of trade claim by the Swans in that kids who enetered our system assuming a pathway to a Sydney team, and in many instances sacrificing other sporting pursuits, are now being told they must move interstate at 18. The Draft does not stand a chance in hell of surviving a court challenge.

[annew]

Pretty sure its just the two years. The COLA phase out was meant to be over two years - 2015 and 2016. Trading done in 2016 relates to the 2017 season so the threat to curtail the COLA phase out is meaningless.

But plus this year and that is 3 years of not being able to trade.

[Doctor J.]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the main game here is maintaining the long term, structure of the Academy pathway.

Any change to the Academy system should lead to a restraint of trade claim by the Swans in that kids who enetered our system assuming a pathway to a Sydney team, and in many instances sacrificing other sporting pursuits, are now being told they must move interstate at 18. The Draft does not stand a chance in hell of surviving a court challenge.

Bring it on I say. These piss ant clubs like the bulldogs and the pauper Roos will pay a huge price for riding in on the coat tails of McGuire and his "mates".

[Meg]

But plus this year and that is 3 years of not being able to trade.

No it is two. If we trade this year (2014)'we lose the COLA for 2015 & 2016. If we trade next year (2015) we lose the COLA for 2016. We can trade end 2016 season as there will be no COLA in 2017.

I think there was some ambiguity in earlier wording but I'm sure that is what is meant.

[Ludwig]

This is what I call perfidious and dishonest. The AFL is both. Take it any way you like Gillon as you are the CEO!

The scenario you went through is probably close to the mark, as well as the attending labels.

I tend to think of the term Kafkaesque for these kinds of situations, and am considering having another read of The Trial to get in the appropriate headspace.

The frightening part of all this is the total lack of predictability of future AFL dictates, as they don't even follow their own rules when making decisions. The AFL is just becoming a free-for-all at every level. This particular absurdity which has a affected us is but a sideshow to the way they are dealing with much larger issues of the Essendon saga and pseudo free agency. Now we've been thrown out of the playpen just when things were getting interesting.

The attack on the academies, especially ours, has already begun, and we shouldn't expect any letup given this latest diabolical blow, which is Eddie's last cheap shot of his COLA crusade. It's a really low act as he's already won that war.

The exodus from GWS is also worrying in that any slipping down the ladder or negative perception about the Swans could have a similar effect. We are being driven toward distinct disadvantage territory where we have to do everything better both on and off the field just to stay even. That's the way Eddie and Newbold like it.

I don't think the Swans or any club want to take down the AFL, because everyone will suffer by that. Essendon was almost forced to take them on because of the severe consequences awaiting them, so they thought they had to try some extreme measures. I believe the bill will exceed $20 mil. before that's over with, regardless of the outcome of player suspensions.

The only hope I have relates to the outcome of the Todd Viney incident when near universal outrage at his suspension brought an overturn of the MRP decision. Logic and reason prevailed. But that didn't involve McGuire. This will be a lot harder.

[Ludwig]

I may have found where all this COLA attack originated. This obscure article from 2010 links all the key players together:
Find me a footballer, Eddie Entertainment - The Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania

[Swansinger]

I doubt the AFL will change this decision. At least,not without a legal challenge - which probably will not eventuate.
So,if we have been handed lemons,let's make lemonade.
The coaching staff can use the situation to motivate players,especially the younger brigade and fringe players.