AFL slaps trade ban on Swans

[Ludwig]

"Wait a second. Eddie's on the line now..................................and.......... ....

my statement is: You cant have everything "



"Don't ask me what the @@@@ it means. I'm just the puppet."

[Ajax]

"You can't have everything" is an unbelievably condescending comment from McLachlan - demonstrating an appalling lack of leadership and judgement. His comment is grossly insulting to the universally respected professionalism of the Swans management, the team and all Swans supporters. McLachlan comes across as a patronising and arrogant jerk, totally out of touch with the realities of AFL expansion, using the bluntest possible instrument to try to 'equalise' the competition in NSW. His management techniques are about on par with those of Limbkins, the chairman of the parish workhouse where Oliver Twist asked for 'more'.

[Untamed Snark]

I agree with you Liz, what evidence is there that the swans actually stole Buddy from GWS? In any case any player can go anywhere until the contract is signed. It is just so ridiculous I cannot get my head around it. If the swans are being punished for attracting too many good players then why aren't the other clubs, and if they are being punished for attracting Buddy then the AFL is seriously doing the wrong thing.

If memory serves Buddy's management approached the Swans after the '12 Grand Final but were told we had Tippett in the works. They then approached again during the season.

[churry]

Extremely disappointing that Gillon said that, he would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. Was it "everyone" or "everything" ? Not that it really matters as it's a @@@@ comment either way.

We won't be hearing much before the commission as Swans will probably threaten legal action if a fair resolution isn't agreed on.

[mcs]

Is this seriously the best he can do? So we can't have "everyone" but its fine for Hawthorn to recruit a stream of high profile free agents and quasi-free agents. Will Brisbane get a trade ban next year so they can't steal another Beams from the Melbourne heartland? What if next year Kennedy, Parker and Hanners all have compelling reasons to go back to Melbourne. Will "they can't have everyone" then become "they can't have anyone".

As always Liz, absolutely spot on.

What a load of garbage from a man well out of his depth..... pathetic.

[mcs]

"You can't have everything" is an unbelievably condescending comment from McLachlan - demonstrating an appalling lack of leadership and judgement. His comment is grossly insulting to the universally respected professionalism of the Swans management, the team and all Swans supporters. McLachlan comes across as a patronising and arrogant jerk, totally out of touch with the realities of AFL expansion, using the bluntest possible instrument to try to 'equalise' the competition in NSW. His management techniques are about on par with those of Limbkins, the chairman of the parish workhouse where Oliver Twist asked for 'more'.

The guy makes Demetriou look like a wonderful administrator - he is utterly and completely out of his depth.

Either show some balls and provide evidence of why the Swans have been punished, or shut the @@@@ up. The AFL/AFL Commission obviously has little interest in doing the former, so why won't they do the latter. If we haven't done anything wrong, then there is no way to justify the ban. If we have done something wrong, then provide us with the evidence so that the 'normal folk' can understand.

What exactly are they trying to protect by not shaming the Swans? They hung the Bombers (rightly so) out to dry, they hung the Tankers out to dry and they hung the Blues out to dry previously about the Salary cap rort.

Grow a pair AFL - or if you wont, don't try to appease us with utter bull@@@@!

[dimelb]

"You can't have everything" (or everyone, as the case may be) is just a throw away line without substance. What is this everything that the Swans have that other clubs don't? How can the AFL CEO make such a statement without further clarification? It once again implies that the Swans are cheating and/or have special privileges. Is it the academy? Is it Buddy?

I apologise to those not familiar with Kafka, but it is so much like Joseph K in the The Trial: Whatever he's done, it is very serious, although no one can tell him what it is.

The AFL site has "everything", The Age article above has "everyone", and another Age article has "you can't have anything ..."; see http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-new...27-11cj47.html
I suspect the reporters stuffed up.

I assume that "everything" includes the COLA and trades and draft picks. All along the Swans have abided by the AFL's conditions, including the phasing out of the COLA. As we have maintained all along since this latest "act of bastardry" (thanks Gerard Healy) became public, the decision is arbitrary and lacking in transparency, a drastic, unnecessary and unjust moving of the goalposts. Kafkaesque is right. I hope Andrew P and the troops get in there come December and kick a few behinds.

[barry]

Over at bigfooty hes known as "Polo Gill". I loled.

[S.S. Bleeder]

I agree with you Liz, what evidence is there that the swans actually stole Buddy from GWS? In any case any player can go anywhere until the contract is signed. It is just so ridiculous I cannot get my head around it. If the swans are being punished for attracting too many good players then why aren't the other clubs, and if they are being punished for attracting Buddy then the AFL is seriously doing the wrong thing.

Liam Pickering, his manager at the time has stated that he was was never ever going to GWS. Pickering approached the Swans after the 2012 season. I suspect it was just the East Sydnet lifestyle that he was after, and if course his Mrs is there.

[ernie koala]

I find it telling, and illuminating, that McLachlin finishes this article talking excitedly about his prediction of a strong GWS team with a real and fierce rivalry with The Swans ...

...Similar to the A League one.

It seems to me this 'grand vision' of the AFL is the principal and underlying reason for this ban.

So far they have given Patful to GWS, and kept him and Frawley from the Swans, thus closing the gap between the teams...With the promise of more of the same at next years trading.

IMO, the AFL have decided that the only hope of success for GWS, is knock the Swans down to their level as quickly as possible thus engineering a rivalry.

The Buddy deal went totally against the AFL agenda, and they will do what ever it takes to ensure that GWS don't get gazumped again.

[Mel_C]

This is bull!! What sort of a leader is Gillon? You can't have someone this weak as head of the AFL. I didn't care for Demetriou but at least he had some balls. He was nicknamed Vlad for a reason.

They do not have a legitimate reason for this ban. It is outrageous!!! I'm confident that we will get the ban overturned but I am pissed that they stuffed us up this trading period. There is no way we can be compensated.

I'm all worked up now...won't be easy getting to sleep!

[S.S. Bleeder]

This is bull!! What sort of a leader is Gillon? You can't have someone this weak as head of the AFL. I didn't care for Demetriou but at least he had some balls. He was nicknamed Vlad for a reason.

They do not have a legitimate reason for this ban. It is outrageous!!! I'm confident that we will get the ban overturned but I am pissed that they stuffed us up this trading period. There is no way we can be compensated.

I'm all worked up now...won't be easy getting to sleep!

I agree. The ban is likely to be overturned but unfortunately the horse has already bolted. We needed a stop gap key defender and the chance to recruit Frawley or Patful has gone. There is no way we can be compensated but to be given a priority pick next year would make me feel better. The AFL would never give this compensation freely however as it would have to admit that it was wr...wr....wr.....wrong.

What sort of a competition is it when the administrators view the best way of helping a fledgling club grow is to hinder their biggest competitor? We've been penalised because we are a more attractive club for free agents to go to. We are closer to a premiership, have better coaching and administration, and we are based in the eastern suburbs where the free agents (whom can afford to buy) want to live.

How unfair is this!

[jono2707]

A rivalry will start.
Saying that it won't only fuels the fire
And I look forward to it. Great for the Swans.

The AFL thinking that a rivalry will magically appear is kidding itself. Fair enough that they look to the great rivalry in the A-League that has developed in a very short time between Sydney and Western Sydney. However the A-League western Sydney franchise was born out of a real and passionate desire for a team in Sydney's west, that was built hand in hand with the community and was embraced by many. They have been connected with their community from the word go and and they have identified and filled a real gap in the market. They represent the west and the rivalry between them and FC is real, colourful and passionate.

None of this applies to GWS.

[JPK12]

You know what i dont get? The AFL is a compromised code..yet people still watch it in droves.

Its a true laughing stock, even so now with the a league rising and rising.

Seriously people wake up and put down that addiction to the world worst run code away.

[JPK12]

BTW I am cringing so hard at his statement that the GWS/Swans rivalry will reach the heights of WSW/SFC.

For starters you need fans, lots of passionate fans. GWS should be embarrassed at what WSW has chieved in no time, even with the head start the AFL had.

You also need a buzz and interest. No one gives one iota about AFL out in WS except ex pat victorians and swan fans.

Thirdly you need a game that appeals to everyone. AFL doesnt as much as AFL fans think it does. WSW fans laugh at the code and mimmick it, the same people that the AFL needs to win over.