Did the Swans offer Ryan O'Keefe to the Pies for Nick Davis?

Territory Magpie

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Thread starter #1
Hi guys

We're having a debate over on the Magpie board about this issue:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirby
There's no way on earth that the Swans offered O'Keefe!

If they did and we didn't take him then that was a stuff up of Fremantle proportions!!

Well, admittedly I'm getting older and the memory is fading somewhat, but I distinctly remember the offer of O'Keefe for Davis being talked about on these boards. Back then, no one had heard of O'Keefe, so I wasn't surprised when we said no. Wish I had a time-machine, and I was on the Collingwood recruiting staff!

Maybe some passing Swans could confirm?


Do any of you remember the Swans offering up O'Keefe for Davis? This was before O'Keefe became a gun obviously, but I can defintely recall the offer being discussed in the press.

Cheers, Salty Malty
 

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#2
Hi guys

We're having a debate over on the Magpie board about this issue:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirby
There's no way on earth that the Swans offered O'Keefe!

If they did and we didn't take him then that was a stuff up of Fremantle proportions!!

Well, admittedly I'm getting older and the memory is fading somewhat, but I distinctly remember the offer of O'Keefe for Davis being talked about on these boards. Back then, no one had heard of O'Keefe, so I wasn't surprised when we said no. Wish I had a time-machine, and I was on the Collingwood recruiting staff!

Maybe some passing Swans could confirm?


Do any of you remember the Swans offering up O'Keefe for Davis? This was before O'Keefe became a gun obviously, but I can defintely recall the offer being discussed in the press.

Cheers, Salty Malty
the only thing i can recall regarding o'keefe being traded was about the time i think ROK's brother or sister died in a car crash (not sure) and there was talk he wanted to come home to melbourne to be near family
i think this is 6-7 years ago, so i guess the time frame's about right, but i don't even know then whether the swans seriously considered trading him
i CAN understand why you'd be thinking about that time machine
 

TheMase

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#3
I do not recall this happening. I believe that Collingwood supporters were playing hard ball and asking for O'Keefe, but I don't believe he was in actual discussion.

The Swans played pretty hard for him, and said we will give the second round pick, and thats it.
 

liz

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#6
No idea whether it's true or not but many times I have read Collingwood supporters talk about it as if it were true, believing that Balme rejected O'Keefe as a suitable trade.

And while hindsight tells us that it would have been a bad trade for us, at the end of 2002 O'Keefe wasn't really showing signs of becoming the player he now has. He'd had his breakthrough game against the Roos when he played as a key forward for the first time (at senior level, in any case) in Hall's absence and kicked those 4 goals. But that was the first time he indicated that he might be more than a mid-paced bit-and-pieces midfielder.
 

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#8
When Nick first outed himself about wanting to come to Sydney, the Pies played hardball early. It's possible that O'Keefe's name was mentioned but it was never a serious thing. It's true the Pies wanted a "Jude" or a "Ryan O'keefe" but it was all one-way, wishful thinking. The Swans were offering draft picks only. In the end the Pies relented and let him go for a second round draft pick.
 

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Thread starter #12
Thanks all, interesting to hear your recollections. I've been running with this topic on the Pies Board as well, and there are some knowledgeable posters who are pretty certain that ROK was in fact offered up as a trade for Sooky (sorry - couldn't help myself!) Davis.

Apparently ROK was homesick and wanted to go back to Melbourne. Swans said "we'll see what we can arrange" and ROK was rapt when he heard he was offered as a swap to the Pies, but ultimately disappointed as Collingwood said "no dice".

Hard to believe now I know, but as someone here said, in 2003 ROK wasn't anywhere near the player he is now back, and you really do need a crystal ball (or a time machine;)) sometimes.
 

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#13
the only thing i can recall regarding o'keefe being traded was about the time i think ROK's brother or sister died in a car crash (not sure) and there was talk he wanted to come home to melbourne to be near family
i think this is 6-7 years ago, so i guess the time frame's about right, but i don't even know then whether the swans seriously considered trading him
i CAN understand why you'd be thinking about that time machine
Don't know about the trade situation but sadly, yes, his younger brother died in a car crash and they were very close so it would be likely that he at least thought about coming back to Melbourne.
 

TheBloods

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#18
The situations were a bit different. With O'Keefe it was the same as Kennelly wanting to go home when his father died.
They are a little different, but I understand that Davis wanted to go home to provide support for his parents going through a divorce.
 

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Davis is not liked by us Pies because of the sneaky way in which he went about getting transferred to Sydney. There were plenty of rumours about him wanting to go at the end of the 03 season and when Ed confronted him about them, he reassured Ed that he was staying. Was duly picked in the 03 Grand Final team, and then told the Pies shortly after that he wanted to go home to be with his mum.

Would have been better for all concerned had he been up front about it.
 

liz

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#20
Davis is not liked by us Pies because of the sneaky way in which he went about getting transferred to Sydney. There were plenty of rumours about him wanting to go at the end of the 03 season and when Ed confronted him about them, he reassured Ed that he was staying. Was duly picked in the 03 Grand Final team, and then told the Pies shortly after that he wanted to go home to be with his mum.

Would have been better for all concerned had he been up front about it.
That's a very one-sided recollection of what happened. Eddie started wittering on about whether Davis would stay or go about 2/3rds of the way through the season. Every opportunity he could bring it up on the Footy Show he did. (Yes, back in those days I even watched that rubbish.) Talk about putting pressure on a guy publicly!

Davis has said he himself didn't know whether he wanted to stay or go, and that he was torn between his loyalty to his club and wanting to move to Sydney.

Who knows what the true nature of the conversations between Eddie and Nick (and Malty Mick) were. Probably only them. I certainly don't trust Eddie to always tells things exactly as they are.

What we do know is the public comments made by the parties after the trade happened. Malthouse said disparaging things about Davis that really didn't need to be said publicly, even if he felt them. Davis refused to be drawn into saying anything negative in response.

I'm not the greatest fan of Nick Davis, but I do know who emerged from that situation looking more dignified.
 
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#21
Davis is not liked by us Pies because of the sneaky way in which he went about getting transferred to Sydney. There were plenty of rumours about him wanting to go at the end of the 03 season and when Ed confronted him about them, he reassured Ed that he was staying. Was duly picked in the 03 Grand Final team, and then told the Pies shortly after that he wanted to go home to be with his mum.

Would have been better for all concerned had he been up front about it.
didn't anthony rocca do pretty much the same thing?
i seem to recall him saying publicly, at least early in the piece, that he was commited to the swans, then doing what he could behind the scenes to go home to mum?
i have no problems with that, but it IS a bit hypocritical for c'wood fans to suggest davis was a sook without saying the same about pebbles
 

liz

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#22
didn't anthony rocca do pretty much the same thing?
i seem to recall him saying publicly, at least early in the piece, that he was commited to the swans, then doing what he could behind the scenes to go home to mum?
i have no problems with that, but it IS a bit hypocritical for c'wood fans to suggest davis was a sook without saying the same about pebbles
I think Rocca made it quite clear that he intended to leave as soon as he possibly could. I went to the 1996 B&F dinner and despite the GF loss, it was a pretty upbeat occasion and most of the players were on pretty good form. Rocca spent the evening after the dinner had ended sitting in a corner by himself looking like a sulky twit who knew no-one really cared whether he was there or not. He left not long after.

Despite the acrimony when he left, I have little doubt Davis enjoyed more, and got far more out of, his time at Collingwood than Rocca did in Sydney.
 
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