Club Focus Sydney 2021 - Ladhams, Sheldrick, Roberts, Warner, Rankin

[Bollox]

How very socialist of you all.
Guys on good money also need the COLA in Sydney at the same rate. They have higher council rates, use more electircity, increased gardening and pool expenses, more at the mechanics, more expensive restaurants, parking and marina fees, and the local shops and even gas stations charge shitloads more for absolutely everything. Its meant to be a cost of living allowance, not pocket money.

 

[SSwans2011]

So then it's not at all fair to say it didn't help them attract big players. A player on a million dollars a year getting an extra 9.8% on his contract is entirely different to a player on 100k a year getting an extra 9.8% on his contract.

COLA should have been 'it costs you x more dollars to live in Sydney than Melbourne, therefore every Sydney player gets an extra x dollars'.

On general principle, I agree. But it would have sort of defeated the purpose of the rule, given the aim of COLA was to essentially ensure that a contract was the same value in Sydney as it would have been elsewhere. Essentially, if Hawthorn had been able to match our offer for Buddy, their contract would have been more valuable (even with COLA, but especially without), because of the cost of living in Sydney.

 

[Schulzenfest]

This is exactly right. The proper approach is to have a COLA loading component on individual contracts, where the % loading gets phases out to nothing at a certain contract level (since higher rents are not likely to impact a player's thinking if he's on $1m per year).

This would be fine also.

 

[Tedeski]

If I were a Sydney fan I'd be fuming.

Yeah we were & are but here is where we are at.
Hopefully a few things go our way in the coming years.

 

[Tedeski]

It isn't Buddy's contract that is causing problems right now. It is Mills and Heeney's as both are big contracts that are heavily backended. We ended up paying more for Heeney than we wanted to as North Melbourne offered him an obscene amount of money to go to them.

The Swans aren't really your favourite team hey RUNVS?

 

[Tedeski]

Richards wasn't homesick either.

He was just looking for a way to end his AFL career & found it!

 

[Tedeski]

Perhaps

Yeah this!

 

[Tedeski]

How very socialist of you all.
Guys on good money also need the COLA in Sydney at the same rate. They have higher council rates, use more electircity, increased gardening and pool expenses, more at the mechanics, more expensive restaurants, parking and marina fees, and the local shops and even gas stations charge shitloads more for absolutely everything. Its meant to be a cost of living allowance, not pocket money.

It is also about how much more it costs him to play in Sydney Or stay in Vic.

 

[Dan12]

The lack of outrage regarding the Dawson situation as a result of the Buddy contract rules by the general footy community is pretty outrageous. Nobody except Sydney fans is really talking about it.

Maybe I'm a bit biased because I watched Dawson have a BOG game against my team not that long ago, but you have a player who really wanted to stay, is considered the league's 31st best player by their ratings system, and by keeping Parker is now squeezed at the salary cap.

The AFL - completely pissed off Sydney surprising everyone - forces a clause on the Franklin deal that means that the contract can't be altered (in addition to the trade ban, which was also ridiculous), meaning that Sydney are forced into salary cap limitations that no other club, for the simple crime ... of having a player accept a contract that's 100% legal under their own rules?

Franklin's got one year left of that original deal, and with the back-loading is on the hook for $1.5 million or some similar number. Sydney had no chance to either renegotiate the deal with the decrease of the salary cap per COVID, and they didn't have the chance to extend and stretch the contract (by, for example, giving Buddy a guaranteed 800k or whatever for 2023, if he agreed to cut back his 1.5 million to 1 million for next year).

If they could do either of those things, they could keep a player that they identified late in the draft, put years developing, and by all accounts wanted to stay until the obscene amounts that Port and Adelaide could offer him compared to Sydney pushed him over. It's ridiculous.

And the thing is ... the AFL completely changed tack on GWS not long after the deal. Worried about a dynasty, reigning in their concessions earlier than they planned etc. So the inherent logic to unfair rules on Sydney wasn't even consistent throughout the last 8 years.

And guess when Dawson was drafted - during the trade ban period that the AFL implemented! So the AFL told them that they had to go through the draft as punishment for Buddy, did just that - and they still can't keep the player for following the rules a second time!

If I were a Sydney fan I'd be fuming. They did nothing wrong to get Buddy, did the right thing by the AFL by taking a late draft pick, 54th in the draft, rather than trading that pick for a recycled player because they had the trade ban, and now are still forced to lose that player because they can't renegotiate and extent the Buddy contract. It's not fair.

You've got some points, but I think the AFL really needed to send a stern warning to any other club thinking they could get away with following the rules

 

[anotherletdown]

I would have been fine if they set a threshold and once you hit that (say 500k) you didn't get it but for those under that, it still needed to be a % rather than a set figure.

Just like the points system it should be scaled and cut out at a certain value. You could still argue the off-field opportunities in footy states leave our higher earners exposed but i'd just settle for a league wide acceptance that Sydney is more expensive for the moment. This argument has gone on for too long and is not fact driven

 

[anotherletdown]

You've got some points, but I think the AFL really needed to send a stern warning to any other club thinking they could get away with following the rules

Doesn't explain the trade ban. That inferred that we couldn't be trusted to manage our own cap.

 

[HTPunter]

Swans might be facing hard luck this year with Dawson & Hewett, but they're clearing a bunch of deadwood that is chunkier than most in the league (none of Ronke, Brand, Clarke, Gray SHOULD hang around for 2022), Ling could be gone or stay on minimum, while Reid & Sinclair if they stay cop significant pay cuts, and Buddy is on the verge of getting a massive cut end of next year. Taylor is reportedly signed to the end of 2022 and clears up a deadwood spot. Stephens out too clears up a potential 350k.
Buddy is a gun, Dawson & Hewett very solid. The rest are nothing the Swans can't replace with pick 12 + late selections.

They will get a player as good as Dawson & Hewett in the 2022 off-season, while they only need 1 draftee out of 5 to kick on to make that last 5 group (Clarke/Gray/Ronke/Brand/Taylor) a lot better.

Short-term pain but their salary management will swing the other way VERY quickly.

Out 2021: Dawson, Hewett, Stephens (trade), Clarke, Gray, Ronke, Brand (delisted)

Out 2022: Taylor, Reid*, Sinclair*, Gould*, Ling*
Franklin salary decrease +800k
Naismith salary decrease or retire
Kennedy salary decrease or retire

Mountain of space. They'll go hard after a Moore, McDonald, Dale, Short type (the latter 3 could get squeezed on a salary base, while Moore on the back of a standout 2022 season could get a godfather offer).

2023 side
B: Cunningham (), McCartin (), Rampe ()
HB: Lloyd (), Moore (), Campbell ()
C: Blakey (), Parker (), McInerney ()
HF: Heeney (), Franklin (), Hayward ()
F: Papley (), McDonald (), Gulden ()
Foll: Hickey (), Mills (), Florent ()
Bench: Wicks (), Warner (), McLean (), Rowbottom ()

Depth: Fox, O'Riordan, Naismith*, Amartey, Bell, Melican
Carruthers, McAndrew, O'Connor

Plus 2021 pick 12, pick 16 (Port for Dawson), 31, 32 (compo for Hewett)
2022 first rounder (~12), 24 (Pies future for Stephens), 2nd rounder (~31) again

7 solid picks to get 2-3 best 22 players out of - target 3x mids, a Lever style defender (Rampe replacement), a tall forward, a ruck, a half-back.

 

[Johnnypkeane]

Swans might be facing hard luck this year with Dawson & Hewett, but they're clearing a bunch of deadwood that is chunkier than most in the league (none of Ronke, Brand, Clarke, Gray SHOULD hang around for 2022), Ling could be gone or stay on minimum, while Reid & Sinclair if they stay cop significant pay cuts, and Buddy is on the verge of getting a massive cut end of next year. Taylor is reportedly signed to the end of 2022 and clears up a deadwood spot. Stephens out too clears up a potential 350k.
Buddy is a gun, Dawson & Hewett very solid. The rest are nothing the Swans can't replace with pick 12 + late selections.

They will get a player as good as Dawson & Hewett in the 2022 off-season, while they only need 1 draftee out of 5 to kick on to make that last 5 group (Clarke/Gray/Ronke/Brand/Taylor) a lot better.

Short-term pain but their salary management will swing the other way VERY quickly.

Out 2021: Dawson, Hewett, Stephens (trade), Clarke, Gray, Ronke, Brand (delisted)

Out 2022: Taylor, Reid*, Sinclair*, Gould*, Ling*
Franklin salary decrease +800k
Naismith salary decrease or retire
Kennedy salary decrease or retire

Mountain of space. They'll go hard after a Moore, McDonald, Dale, Short type (the latter 3 could get squeezed on a salary base, while Moore on the back of a standout 2022 season could get a godfather offer).

2023 side
B: Cunningham (), McCartin (), Rampe ()
HB: Lloyd (), Moore (), Campbell ()
C: Blakey (), Parker (), McInerney ()
HF: Heeney (), Franklin (), Hayward ()
F: Papley (), McDonald (), Gulden ()
Foll: Hickey (), Mills (), Florent ()
Bench: Wicks (), Warner (), McLean (), Rowbottom ()

Depth: Fox, O'Riordan, Naismith*, Amartey, Bell, Melican
Carruthers, McAndrew, O'Connor

Plus 2021 pick 12, pick 16 (Port for Dawson), 31, 32 (compo for Hewett)
2022 first rounder (~12), 24 (Pies future for Stephens), 2nd rounder (~31) again

7 solid picks to get 2-3 best 22 players out of - target 3x mids, a Lever style defender (Rampe replacement), a tall forward, a ruck, a half-back.

That 2023 side looks pretty darn good.

 

[Caj]

Swans might be facing hard luck this year with Dawson & Hewett, but they're clearing a bunch of deadwood that is chunkier than most in the league (none of Ronke, Brand, Clarke, Gray SHOULD hang around for 2022), Ling could be gone or stay on minimum, while Reid & Sinclair if they stay cop significant pay cuts, and Buddy is on the verge of getting a massive cut end of next year. Taylor is reportedly signed to the end of 2022 and clears up a deadwood spot. Stephens out too clears up a potential 350k.
Buddy is a gun, Dawson & Hewett very solid. The rest are nothing the Swans can't replace with pick 12 + late selections.

They will get a player as good as Dawson & Hewett in the 2022 off-season, while they only need 1 draftee out of 5 to kick on to make that last 5 group (Clarke/Gray/Ronke/Brand/Taylor) a lot better.

Short-term pain but their salary management will swing the other way VERY quickly.

Out 2021: Dawson, Hewett, Stephens (trade), Clarke, Gray, Ronke, Brand (delisted)

Out 2022: Taylor, Reid*, Sinclair*, Gould*, Ling*
Franklin salary decrease +800k
Naismith salary decrease or retire
Kennedy salary decrease or retire

Mountain of space. They'll go hard after a Moore, McDonald, Dale, Short type (the latter 3 could get squeezed on a salary base, while Moore on the back of a standout 2022 season could get a godfather offer).

2023 side
B: Cunningham (), McCartin (), Rampe ()
HB: Lloyd (), Moore (), Campbell ()
C: Blakey (), Parker (), McInerney ()
HF: Heeney (), Franklin (), Hayward ()
F: Papley (), McDonald (), Gulden ()
Foll: Hickey (), Mills (), Florent ()
Bench: Wicks (), Warner (), McLean (), Rowbottom ()

Depth: Fox, O'Riordan, Naismith*, Amartey, Bell, Melican
Carruthers, McAndrew, O'Connor

Plus 2021 pick 12, pick 16 (Port for Dawson), 31, 32 (compo for Hewett)
2022 first rounder (~12), 24 (Pies future for Stephens), 2nd rounder (~31) again

7 solid picks to get 2-3 best 22 players out of - target 3x mids, a Lever style defender (Rampe replacement), a tall forward, a ruck, a half-back.

Wow very impressive analysis, particulary from an opposition supporter. You've made me feel better about what I've been thinking is a potentially disastorous trade period

 

[Chief]

 

[Prochard123]

Honestly while Dawson is a good player, he has not structurally important, and Sydney has the perfect players to replace him.

Which is also why I thought Sydney was completely unreasonable by trying to involve a top 5 pick this year or next year for a player worth a late 1st.

Sydney already has an AA CBF in Lloyd, and probably the player with THE MOST DAMAGING kick I have seen in AFL in Campbell. Now Sydney has plenty of gametime available for Campbell and his development. And Ladhams will immediately improve Sydney structurally.

Overall, a very positive trade period. Ladhams is a strong positive, and they also extracted good value for a player that they are easily capable of replacing.

 

[Suma Magic]

Does everyone realise that COLA was just rebranded?

Every Sydney player on less than league average wage gets $300 a week rental allowance paid directly by the AFL. That’s about $350k in total that the other 16 clubs don’t get.

 

[SSwans2011]

Does everyone realise that COLA was just rebranded?

Every Sydney player on less than league average wage gets $300 a week rental allowance paid directly by the AFL. That’s about $350k in total that the other 16 clubs don’t get.

It's every player on a lower than $300k contract. And it doesn't really fix the issue once a player commands a contract above that threshold. The median house price in Sydney is 30% higher than Melbourne, let alone every other state. Therefore a contract in Sydney is worth significantly less.

 

[simmo97]

It's every player on a lower than $300k contract. And it doesn't really fix the issue once a player commands a contract above that threshold. The median house price in Sydney is 30% higher than Melbourne, let alone every other state. Therefore a contract in Sydney is worth significantly less.

pay more to buy a house in Sydney but make a very good profit when it is sold which would help them significantly buy a house in there home city.

 

[SSwans2011]

pay more to buy a house in Sydney but make a very good profit when it is sold which would help them significantly buy a house in there home city.

Same s**t in any other city. You'll get just as much, if not more, value for your investment in any other state.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Sam Reid

20

Sam Reid

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.4

3star

gonna get another contract?

 

[SSwans2011]

Sam Reid gonna get another contract?

If he does it will be as a rookie. Don't have the list spots to re-contract anyone on 5he senior list except Wicks.

 

[Kapers]

Nice to get Ladhams, first best 22 player (in their previous club) we've gotten since Buddy I think lol.

I think it's obvious that there's a net loss of players in Sydney teams, and whatever the reason, it sucks. We are stuck in a rut of losing 1-2 best 22 players a year, and we will hit a wall if we keep shedding genuine talent.

I just hope over the next 5 years we can hold onto this crop of kids and only lose 1-2 players in that period.

 

[Crow till I die]

Nice to get Ladhams, first best 22 player (in their previous club) we've gotten since Buddy I think lol.

I think it's obvious that there's a net loss of players in Sydney teams, and whatever the reason, it sucks. We are stuck in a rut of losing 1-2 best 22 players a year, and we will hit a wall if we keep shedding genuine talent.

I just hope over the next 5 years we can hold onto this crop of kids and only lose 1-2 players in that period.

Then your list manager might want to get as big a contract as they can infront of McDonald as sure as the sun rises in the morning, both WA based clubs would be coming 100 miles per hour for him if he is still off contract at the back end of next year

 

[eastfreo75]

Classic misunderstanding of how COLA worked. 9.8% loading on each and every contract - it couldn’t be stockpiled. The base contract amounts still had to fit within the standard salary cap, then COLA was applied on top.

Say player is worth $220000. Swans just made the contract $202,000.

Saving the club $18k cap space in that example.

Swans recruit Buddy and Tippett on big money.

You can’t join the dots?