2026 List Management

[KSAS]

I believe that the angst against the 5 players is softening and that nothing too serious will come about the police investigation. If this does eventuate then I believe that they will be reintegrated back into the club and come as stated prove their loyalty to everyone which includes the girls team and all of the staff and also the loyal fans.
If they do this and show true contrition then they deserve a second chance.

The AFL have apparently issued a buyer beware warning to clubs who have interest in chasing our banned 5 players. Pointing out the possible legalities hanging over the players heads, which they'll be forced to carry if they trade for them.

Other than potential police charges, i assume this may also includl AFL imposed penalties such as suspensions or even de-registrations in worst scenario.

With the police investigation not due to complete till the end of the trade period, will be interesting to see if this will ward off clubs coming hard?

[dejavoodoo44]

Seems like Butters is heading to the Bulldogs. Glad it's not to the Cats.

Possibly the reported 9 year, $1.8 - 2 million contract for a 26 year old is a touch excessive? I can see it becoming a large salary for not much return as he ages. Though of course, if he can team with Bontempelli, Richards and Darcy, to deliver a premiership in the next few years, then they probably won't really care what happens in the 2030s.

[imuninformedtwo]

The AFL have apparently issued a buyer beware warning to clubs who have interest in chasing our banned 5 players. Pointing out the possible legalities hanging over the players heads, which they'll be forced to carry if they trade for them.

Other than potential police charges, i assume this may also includl AFL imposed penalties such as suspensions or even de-registrations in worst scenario.

With the police investigation not due to complete till the end of the trade period, will be interesting to see if this will ward off clubs coming hard?

Gerard Whateley, who’s both an anti-Swans prat but clued into AFL House, has also raised the issue of deregistration in some form as looming over the horizon. Whether that’s half a season or whatever, who knows. I also imagine the players and the AFLPA will fight it. But the noises coming out of AFLHQ aren’t great.

[Nico]

Tom Morris reporting on SEN there is a $1m difference between Carlton's 5 year offer and our 5 years ($200 p.a). Tom is of the opinion Armatey will move to Carlton if we don't raise our offer.

The difficulty for us is trying to manage the salary cap when we have no idea what will happen with the 4 players. Given this I would let him go. That's a huge difference.

[Nico]

Gerard Whateley, who’s both an anti-Swans prat but clued into AFL House, has also raised the issue of deregistration in some form as looming over the horizon. Whether that’s half a season or whatever, who knows. I also imagine the players and the AFLPA will fight it. But the noises coming out of AFLHQ aren’t great.

If the players aren't charged then I can't see how the AFL can bring on their own suspensions/deregistrations. What they should do is make sure all sides have procedures in place for teams playing interstate.

[Velour&Ruffles]

If the players aren't charged then I can't see how the AFL can bring on their own suspensions/deregistrations. What they should do is make sure all sides have procedures in place for teams playing interstate.

Your sweet trusting naivety is touching.

The AFL doesn’t need facts or logic to do whatever the Hell it wants to do. We got penalised in the draft for a couple of years after recruiting Buddy because- although it was conceded that we hadn’t broken any rules - “you can’t have everything”. That was the full rationale. All we had done was displease a couple of arrogant arsehole powerbrokers who wanted him to go to their plastic GWS lovechild. Curious this rationale doesn’t seem to apply to Geelong.

Moral of the story - don’t assume the AFL needs anything to justify whatever it feels like doing. We are completely at their mercy.

[Auntie.Gerald]

https://www.zerohanger.com/specifics-of-carltons-offer-to-free-agent-swans-forward-revealed-afl-trade-news-182503/

[KSAS]

The difficulty for us is trying to manage the salary cap when we have no idea what will happen with the 4 players. Given this I would let him go. That's a huge difference.

I've also been wrestling with similar thought and think Amartey will be prepared to leave his decision to the very end for 2 reasons:

1. The club finds itself in a position where it might raise it's current offer, even if it's only minimal, in reducing the gap to Carlton's offer.

2. If we do raise our offer, Carlton may increase theirs on the back of them dropping out for Hogan & Dear. This in theory, should increase our compensation draft pick.

If Armatey has already made up his mind to go to Carlton, it's not in his best interest to announce it now, particularly as he is fighting to get back into a potential GF bound team.

[UUaswan]

If Armatey has already made up his mind to go to Carlton, it's not in his best interest to announce it now, particularly as he is fighting to get back into a potential GF bound team.

That is where it is at

[imuninformedtwo]

I've also been wrestling with similar thought and think Amartey will be prepared to leave his decision to the very end for 2 reasons:

1. The club finds itself in a position where it might raise it's current offer, even if it's only minimal, in reducing the gap to Carlton's offer.

2. If we do raise our offer, Carlton may increase theirs on the back of them dropping out for Hogan & Dear. This in theory, should increase our compensation draft pick.

If Armatey has already made up his mind to go to Carlton, it's not in his best interest to announce it now, particularly as he is fighting to get back into a potential GF bound team.

Players almost never nominate when the club they’re at or considering or going to is still in the finals. Look at Butters. The second the Cats were out, he made his announcement that nope, it was the Dogs. My understanding is the gap with Joel is actually more around $1.1m over five. I don’t begrudge him taking it, but there’s no way with his injury history, Logan’s development and what we potentially have to resign over the next two years we should go above $700k.

Let’s even take the Pullman five off the table. We still need to up the dollars and re-sign Grundy (who’ll need more than what we’re paying given the discount), Errol, Logan, McCartin, and then a batch of next tier players like Cootee, Kyle, Datolli, Serong, Green etc. All doable, but all will need an increase. And then you get back to the five. For example, if Chad wants to go home, we get max value by having the room to match. (Now, if Blakey cracks the @@@@s, and my understanding is he has, there’s $800k back).

But $200k+ a year of Joel is the uplift for one or two of the others covered.