IN a stunning move that has surprised most of us, Lance Franklin looks set to join the Sydney Swans.
News Limited reported this morning that the Swans had made a five year $7 million offer for the restricted free agent superstar. That deal, at $1.4m per season is superior to the $1.1 million per year offer that Hawthorn has on the table but it was still significantly behind the purported $2 million a year offer that the GWS Giants have made.
But the Giants have just revealed that they have “withdrawn their offer to Buddy Franklin based on advice that he will accept an offer from the Swans.”
Franklin’s move to Sydney is a bizarre twist but one that will delight Swans fans. Sydney will have a bumper forward line with Franklin lining up alongside Kurt Tippett, who the Swans controversially drew over from Adelaide at the end of last season with a late offer.
The move will no doubt ensure further criticism of the Swans extended salary cap – in which they, alongside GWS, are allowed a 9% loading more than any other club because of the living expenses in New South Wales.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire hit out at the Swans’ salary cap and the “inequality” of the competition leading into its match against the Swans at the SCG this season.
Franklin’s signature at the Swans will mean that Sydney is likely to off-load one or both of Jesse White and Shane Mumford.
Mumford, ironically, has been linked to the Hawks. White has been linked to both Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.
An official announcement by Franklin and his manager Liam Pickering is expected later today.
The GIANTS have withdrawn their offer to Buddy Franklin based on advice that he will accept an offer from the Swans.
— GWS Giants (@GWS_Giants) October 1, 2013
GWS Giants CEO David Matthews said the club had been advised by Franklin’s manager, Liam Pickering, that he intended to accept an offer from the Sydney Swans.
“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,” he said.
“It appears he has a significantly higher financial offer which we would not have been prepared to make based on our due diligence. We have every confidence in our list management strategy but we cannot compromise it for the sake of one individual.
“We have been patient and shown a lot of respect through the process. This decision now allows us to pursue other options during the forthcoming trade period.”
“With the right experienced players alongside the likes of Jeremy Cameron and Jonathan Patton we have every confidence we can achieve significant on field improvement in the years to come.”
More to come.