One bombshell followed another as details emerged about Sydney’s stunning swoop to secure the biggest name in the AFL, Lance Franklin.
Just three days after the superstar forward played in his second premiership with the Hawks, Greater Western Sydney confirmed they had withdrawn their offer to the restricted free agent on the advice he would join cross-town rivals, the Swans.
The fledging club revealed it originally put forward $1.2million (Dh4.14m) over six years, plus AFL extras believing Sydney’s contract was for $1.4 million (Dh4.82m) over five seasons with the potential for the same AFL marketing allowance.
What followed were further reports that GWS were misguided and Sydney’s deal was double that at $10m (Dh34.49m) over nine years for the 26-year-old.
There had been rumblings the Swans were set to put in a late bid over the past week but these had been quickly dismissed. After all, how could a club that won a premiership only 12 months ago and then poached Crows key forward Kurt Tippett on big money fit Buddy into its salary cap?
Yet now it’s believed the move had been in the works for some time. Soon after Franklin’s Hawks were defeated by Sydney in last year’s decider his management company contacted the premier to say he would like to play with them in 2014.
The reaction to the double Coleman Medallist’s covert dealings was a mixture of shock, anger and disbelief. Sydney’s contentious cost of living allowance will be looked at, with former Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett believing the Swans should have to prove where the extra 9.8 per cent is being spent.
He said: “If in fact this is an accumulation of unspent cost of living monies provided to Sydney then that first proves there is no need for an extra allowance and secondly it should be removed for future years.”
Hawks great Dermott Brereton had a different take to the hundreds of irate fans who called into a radio station questioning why the strong should be allowed to become stronger. “I think it’s actually an irresponsible decision towards the Swans,” he said. “If you’ve got Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin both in the same team taking up 25 per cent of your salary cap, you’ve only 75 per cent to pay the 36 other players.
“I can’t see how you can maintain and keep the list in shape to make it to the top four year in and year out.”
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