AFL slaps trade ban on Swans

[WauchopeAnalyst]

The roar is absolutely silent. I have scanned the media looking for 'opinion' pieces but I assume their all on holiday. VOSS and SEYMOUR has sprayed the AFL but the big guns, SHEAHAN, ROBINSON, SMITH, Whateley and others have nothing. Nothing much from the 'popguns' other. Maybe the AFL has used the big stick on the media and others club. Now it is 1984 and all comments are censured. Only those with pride and honesty being brave enough to speak/tweet/write with enough weight to matter. AFL waited until most media having a break and pushed hard.

[Doctor J.]

A mate of mine said the Swans should do the trade and then go to court.

I think the same as your mate.

Interesting though if we did come to agreement on a player trade it's the Afl that has to approve each trade. Would they? If they didn't it's instant restraint. The whole draft and trade could be under threat. If they do approve it and remove the COLA payments from existing contracts, I'm no lawyer but that sounds like a contract breach to me.

[Mug Punter]

I tend to agree with this. I have big respect for the business savvy of the Swans Board but they don't use the media well to put our side of the story across. Both Ireland (and Colless previously) are not polished speakers. And Pridham tends to come across as aggressive rather than persuasive.

I don't understand why they haven't given selected journos (e.g. Caroline Wilson & Emma Quayle) in-depth briefings showing them a typical player's contract with names and figures redacted, so they can see how COLA has been handled. And taken them in detail through the budget numbers so they can see for themselves that the cap space was cleared for the recruitment of Franklin and Tippett.

I assume this hasn't been done as the journos don't seem to know any more than we do. The Swans needed to get some influential journos onside long ago.

Agree with this post

I am as appalled as anyone with the AFL at the moment but I'll back our club to play the long game, I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

The long game is for us to have long term security to develop the game in NSW as it deserves to be developed. I have been involved with AFL in Sydney for over 30 years and it is only in the last 3-5 years wit the Swans running the show that ANYTHING has been done to develop talent in NSW.

Nothing less than an iron-clad guarantee of the Academy System for at least 10 years is now acceptable. Let us withdraw from the draft so we can't have our cake and eat it but let us reap what we sow.

This is the main game and if the club doesn't defend that to the death then I'll switch off and follow the A League and the Bunnies.

To me it's simple - if we are stripped of the academy we go to the High Court and bring down the Draft for Restraint of Trade - that case will be a doddle as their is clear legal precedent with the NSWAFL.

My message to Gillon - do not poke the bear!!!!

[Ludwig]

I apologise for offending some people by elaborating on some off topic offenses of Eddie McGuire. But such an overt and asinine attack on the Sydney Swans can only come from one source. Gillon and Mark Evans wouldn't come up with this sort of ruling on their own, especially without first checking the reactions of various AFL notables, who have been near unanimous in their denunciation of the ruling. There is only one person who couldn't care less what other people think and will just go to any extent to fulfill his toxic anti-Swans agenda.

I am sure the AFL is well aware of the reaction to this ruling. What the outcome of this will be is anyone's guess. We can sign petitions, call for journalist outrage and the like, but there is surely a pernicious behind the scenes battle playing out between two camps. It is sad to say that we are the rank underdogs; we are fighting, but so far are losing the battles.

Our battle is just one of many now playing out in the AFL. There is plenty more carnage to come before the Essendon/ASADA saga plays out. Issues related to free agency and player movements have reached a critical level. I am not sure where the league is heading, but it doesn't look to be a happy place.

[Meg]

"There is plenty more carnage to come before the Essendon/ASADA saga plays out. Issues related to free agency and player movements have reached a critical level. I am not sure where the league is heading, but it doesn't look to be a happy place."

I agree. Including not bothering to consult or even advise the players association on this sudden change in the trade rules for the Swans.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Too lazy and drunk to find the post but to whoever said Robbo has been silent , the big fella actually had a crack on SEN today about our trade ban. He's been in our corner recently, I still think he's a bit of a flog but I admire him for sticking up for us.

[liz]

Emma Quayle has her say. She has pretty much summed up the disbelief expressed in the 18 pages of this thread.

Is Sydney the first club to be punished for following AFL rules?

[ernie koala]

There is only one person who couldn't care less what other people think and will just go to any extent to fulfill his toxic anti-Swans agenda.

I've been wondering this year, as McGuire's relentless attack on the Swans took hold, where has this come from?

He used to be quite complimentary of the Swans and twice publicly said that the COLA was totally justified.

(A fellow member, mate of mine, whose son was a school friend of Eddies son Jo, brought Jo to a game with us...He was wearing red and a Swans cap!! I wish I had taken a photo.)

So what happened to turn him so much against us? I think the answer lies, to some extent, to his failed foray into the Sydney media.

He made a total @@@@ up of running channel 9, and was sent back to Melbourne with his tail between his legs.

His ego took a big hit and I don't think he has, or ever will, get over it..

IMO, from this has spawned his perceived deep seated resentment of anything Sydney, and where he can have an effect is in footy.

As Matt80 would say...It's just my opinion.

[Mug Punter]

I apologise for offending some people by elaborating on some off topic offenses of Eddie McGuire. But such an overt and asinine attack on the Sydney Swans can only come from one source. Gillon and Mark Evans wouldn't come up with this sort of ruling on their own, especially without first checking the reactions of various AFL notables, who have been near unanimous in their denunciation of the ruling. There is only one person who couldn't care less what other people think and will just go to any extent to fulfill his toxic anti-Swans agenda.

I am sure the AFL is well aware of the reaction to this ruling. What the outcome of this will be is anyone's guess. We can sign petitions, call for journalist outrage and the like, but there is surely a pernicious behind the scenes battle playing out between two camps. It is sad to say that we are the rank underdogs; we are fighting, but so far are losing the battles.

Our battle is just one of many now playing out in the AFL. There is plenty more carnage to come before the Essendon/ASADA saga plays out. Issues related to free agency and player movements have reached a critical level. I am not sure where the league is heading, but it doesn't look to be a happy place.

If the AFL closed shop gets busted open, be it by the Swans or Paddy Ryder or Dwayne Beams, then there will only be one law and it will be the commercial law of the jungle.

This is a battle that we are best equipped to fight so bring it on I say. Send puissant clubs like the Dogs and Saints who have a flag success rate of less than 1% back to the VFL which is where they belong. Turn it into the genuine sustainable national league that we need of 16 teams tops with 2-3 less Melbourne clubs.

Let the Melbourne clubs eat themselves is what I say!!!!

[Meg]

Emma Quayle has her say. She has pretty much summed up the disbelief expressed in the 18 pages of this thread.

Is Sydney the first club to be punished for following AFL rules?

Excellent comment piece and she obviously has been briefed by the Swans which meets my earlier concern.

[ernie koala]

Excellent comment piece and she obviously has been briefed by the Swans

Or she reads RWO !!

[Untamed Snark]

Great article from Emma.

[Meg]

And more from Michael Voss:

Michael Voss condemns trade ban imposed on Sydney by AFL and threat to COLA

[Far Reach]

It's a shame in this whole saga that the AFL does not report total player payments - total actual money players receive per club, rather than some estimate using the numerous discountings for various categories - not to mention additional services agreements which may reach well over half a million.

Sydney may well not be that far ahead of other clubs for TPP dollar wise - if at all. The power of perceptions...

[Ludwig]

If the AFL closed shop gets busted open, be it by the Swans or Paddy Ryder or Dwayne Beams, then there will only be one law and it will be the commercial law of the jungle.

This is a battle that we are best equipped to fight so bring it on I say. Send puissant clubs like the Dogs and Saints who have a flag success rate of less than 1% back to the VFL which is where they belong. Turn it into the genuine sustainable national league that we need of 16 teams tops with 2-3 less Melbourne clubs.

Let the Melbourne clubs eat themselves is what I say!!!!

There are several important issues that you raise. I agree that the league would be better off with fewer clubs, but I think this issue has been lost because of the TV broadcast contract which stipulates a number of games per week to be screened. So if the number of games is reduced, so would this revenue stream. It still could make economic sense, but would be a very hard sell because it would mean fewer jobs at all levels.

Ever more space in both the media and RWO is devoted to off field issues. I think most people would prefer that footy be a diversion from the law of the jungle environment that many face in their workplaces. I'm easily distracted away from footy issues and into legal and social matters because that's what seems to be centre stage in the footy world these days. Like most people, I am just reacting to what's out there in the environment. It's really not my preference. And I don't think it's a happy place.