Opinion Is Buddy's nine year contract finally coming back to haunt the Swans?

[Bunk Moreland]

Seems pretty much shot. If so it’s basically three seasons they’ll get nothing for the huge bill. Was always the risk. I think, all in all, for it to be an unqualified success you want at least one more productive season out of him.

 

[iameviljez]

Everyone knew that the 9-year contract was a way of paying him more money without blowing the salary cap. He wasn't going to play nine years for $1.15m each, he was always going to play six or seven for, effectively, $1.4m each while spreading the other years' payment into the years after.

Sydney was, I believe, betting that the salary cap would expand during those years, so that the drain on 2021 and 2022 wouldn't be huge.

 

[WWSD]

If Sydney are having such a tough time paying his salary, can Hawthorn have him back?

HF: Wingard, Franklin, Gunston

F: Breust, Lewis, Impey

 

[iameviljez]

If Sydney are having such a tough time paying his salary, can Hawthorn have him back?

HF: Wingard, Franklin, Gunston

F: Breust, Lewis, Impey

Well Hawthorn has been fielding an unseasonably young list recently

That would have been a great half-forward line. In 2014.

 

[WWSD]

Well Hawthorn has been fielding an unseasonably young list recently

That would have been a great half-forward line. In 2014.

I’d take a 33 year old Franklin over any of Hawthorn’s current key forward stocks.

 

[Snooza 100]

What a joke, there's probably 7 or 8 better full forwards than buddy in the league..

On HUAWEI KII-L22 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[The Nostradamus]

I’d take a 33 year old Franklin over any of Hawthorn’s current key forward stocks.

Would you cop his 1.5mil next year?

 

[RUNVS]

Would you cop his 1.5mil next year?

Hawthorn could. They are bottom of the ladder like we are. Plenty of cap space and unless they plan on going after a high profile player in the trade period this year having Buddy would not affect their development, just like it isn't affecting the Swans right now.

 

[David Bondo]

Hawthorn could. They are bottom of the ladder like we are. Plenty of cap space and unless they plan on going after a high profile player in the trade period this year having Buddy would not affect their development, just like it isn't affecting the Swans right now.

Can Bud even play right now? Might be one of those 12 month holidays he's on.

 

[RUNVS]

Can Bud even play right now? Might be one of those 12 month holidays he's on.

You say that like he has missed an entire season before.

 

[David Bondo]

You say that like he has missed an entire season before.

I think the length of the holiday increases each time.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Could have had 2 more flags, similar money, and a retirement at the time his body was ready to give up.

Compare Rough's farewell to the way its looking for Buddy.

He's a great bloke and was an excellent player, but in fairness, no-one was offering Roughead that, so he never had to make the decision. Because despite winning a couple more flags, despite captaining the club in his twilight, despite winning a Coleman, despite even going a few picks earlier in the draft, he was simply never in Buddy's class.

It's like comparing Ablett to Joel Corey or James Kelly. It's easy to be loyal when you're not being offered Godfather deals.

 

[iameviljez]

He's a great bloke and was an excellent player, but in fairness, no-one was offering Roughead that, so he never had to make the decision. Because despite winning a couple more flags, despite captaining the club in his twilight, despite winning a Coleman, despite even going a few picks earlier in the draft, he was simply never in Buddy's class.

It's like comparing Ablett to Joel Corey or James Kelly. It's easy to be loyal when you're not being offered Godfather deals.

Hear hear. It's no coincidence, IMO, that of the three truly exceptional players seen so far this millennium - Judd, Franklin and Ablett - all of them changed clubs mid-career.

 

[iameviljez]

Could have had 2 more flags, similar money, and a retirement at the time his body was ready to give up.

Compare Rough's farewell to the way its looking for Buddy.

The money is not similar, it's not even close. Hawthorn were not squeezing ten million big ones into Buddy.

And for all that, he went close twice with Sydney. Two GFs they went in reasonably comfortable favourites, but lost them both.

 

[iameviljez]

It put the Swans all over the papers and got them to the big dance in 2016.
If having the best player of his generation on their list for 6 years cost them 9 years of salary (and no draft picks) - for everything he's brought the Swans, they just might do the deal again even with the value of hindsight.

It's Sydney we're talking about, not Gold Coast...

 

[iameviljez]

But at the end of the day, a 10 year contract starting at age 25-26 falls into the 'what were they thinking' category.

It's how they paid him, in reality, 1.6m/year for six years, knowing they wouldn't get the full length of the contract.

 

[HairyO]

The money is not similar, it's not even close. Hawthorn were not squeezing ten million big ones into Buddy.

And for all that, he went close twice with Sydney. Two GFs they went in reasonably comfortable favourites, but lost them both.

Hawks apparently was $7m over 7 years.

I wonder if $7m and $10m are materially all that different.

 

[iameviljez]

Hawks apparently was $7m over 7 years.

I wonder if $7m and $10m are materially all that different.

From my non-lofty perspective, they aren't

But the Sydney offer was still 40% more than the Hawthorn offer.

 

[blitzer]

Hear hear. It's no coincidence, IMO, that of the three truly exceptional players seen so far this millennium - Judd, Franklin and Ablett - all of them changed clubs mid-career.

You could quite easily put Fyfe, Martin and Dangerfield in that conversation and only 1/3 of them changed clubs (and whilst their careers aren't over, their best earning years are). Also Judd/Dangerfield both went home and not sure that either got that much more money. Franklin and Ablett were really the 2 that got monster offers and went for the money.

 

[the harry]

Hawks apparently was $7m over 7 years.

I wonder if $7m and $10m are materially all that different.

And that $10m has to cover that pricey cost off living in Sydney that at least used to exist, so you can probably knock it down a few $$$

 

[David Bondo]

Bud preferred the Sydney lifestyle. More anonymity and less scrutiny when out and about.

 

[Redline]

Going on what you hear he has enjoyed living in Sydney.

As for the Swans, I don't think they cared if it was seven mil or ten mil. They wanted him and we're happy to do whatever it took.

I think it was a win/win.

 

[Scotland]

Hawks apparently was $7m over 7 years.

I wonder if $7m and $10m are materially all that different.

GWS withdraws Lance Franklin offer, believing he will join the Sydney Swans

The GWS Giants have withdrawn their multi-million dollar bid for Lance Franklin in the belief that the dual premiership winning Hawthorn forward will accept a similarly rich offer from the Sydney Swans.

www.theage.com.au

"We put forward what we believed to be both a sensible and attractive offer to Franklin. Contrary to media reports, that offer was $1.2 million a year over six years," CEO David Matthews said.

GWS deal looking spot on for 2014-2019. Would be on a farewell tour now at Hawthorn.

Franklin-Tippett was a pretty serious 1-2 punch, almost. Pantsed in 2014, Franklin missed finals in 2015 then Tippett had to play in the ruck in 2016. A lot of money paid to two guys who missed a few seasons worth of footy each.

I'd feel sorry for them for what could have been, but nah.

 

[WillHayward]

Buddy contract now killing us.
We need to go and pay overs for players we need. Not players we want. Need. Just to be average.
We need a ruck. We need a kpd.
We battle hard. But were in trouble.

 

[WillHayward]

Deflection. But historically relevant given GwS were supposed to get Buddy.

Gws now have a huge $$ issue with finlayson and cameron OOC.