In the near 50 years I’ve been covering sport, if Sydney Swans chairman Richard Colless isn’t the best sporting administrator I’ve dealt with, he is certainly in a podium finish with Tim Caldwell and Charles Blunt.
Caldwell was chairman of the Australian Cricket Board from 1972-1975, taking over from Sir Donald Bradman, and Blunt president of the Australian Rugby Union from 1969-1971.
Outstanding, all three.
Colless (66), who hails from Perth, has been in the Swans’ chair for 19 years, making him the longest-serving AFL chairman/president still in office.
Now the AFL and AFL Players’ Association are combining to investigate the Buddy Franklin offer of $10 million over nine years to switch from the current Premiers, Hawthorn, to the previous Premiers, Sydney, starting next season.
Which, in effect, is investigating Richard Colless.
Good luck, men.
For more than three decades Colless has been a leading light in the financial services industry in Australia, and the United Kingdom.
He has forgotten more about finance than most will ever know.
It’s absurd anyone would think he hasn’t crossed the ‘t’s and dotted the ‘i’s on the Franklin contract. It would be as squeaky clean as Colless the man and the Swans as a club, arguably one of the very best run clubs in any sport.
So why are Victorians, especially of the AFL variety, getting their togas in a massive knot over the Swans transfer?
Hardly a peep out of anyone Victorian when it was ‘obvious’ Franklin was heading for GWS, in the knowledge the champion would make as much impression on the wooden spoon side’s performance as a pimple on an elephant’s backside.
But team Franklin up with Kurt Tippett at Sydney, and that’s a vastly different story.
‘We must stop that’, seems to be the early running.
But should they be worried? Richard Colless and the Swans have made a big call by throwing their lot, and their belief, in with a loose cannon like Buddy Franklin.
Only time will tell, but to me the combination of Franklin and the Swans is like chalk and cheese.
It’s dickhead territory, which the Swans, as a club, have avoided like the plague.
The deal will be legit, but the bigger question is: will it work out for the Swans?
Chris H
Guest
Train without as Station, you are quite wrong about the purpose of the COLA. It is not a retention allowance to keep players from going home. Both Sydney and Brisbane used to have such an allowance, but it was taken away from them 10 years ago after a deceitful and disgraceful campaign of blackmail and threats to the AFL from Eddie McGuire and others in Melbourne. The COLA , as the name implies, is an allowance for the higher living costs in Sydney, principally in relation to rental and housing costs. As such, it is grossly inadequate, as the additional cost of rent is at least 20% in Sydney compared to anywhere else. Please get your facts right and stop peddling this misinformation aimed at smearing the Swans. COLA is paid to all the players, not just Franklin and Tippett.
The Eye in the SKY ""TOMO"
Guest
Hi all from "THE EYE IN THE SKY' .Buddy is not as simple minded as you think. If you want trouble then go no further than his father. He comes from a long line of "BIG FELLAS" Richard I have known for many years and his homework is as good as it gets. BUDDY WILL SEE OUT HIS DAYS AS A FOOTBALLER IN SYDNEY. HE is no LOCKET,HALL or BRERETON. The Skipper MITCHELL will miss him as will his crumbers. The culture of SYDNEY will not change and SYDNEY with all on board bar injuries will be the TEAM to beat in 2014.Transmission Completed 0007 HRS W.S.T 08/10/2013
brian watson
Guest
Great pick up by the Swans will get millions of dollars of free PR I see CH 9 are already whingeing about the impact that Buddy could have in Sydney as we know sincity just loves nothing more than a larrican sports person.
GazzaW
Guest
Funny how these character slurs come out when someone wants to move. First Martin has problems everyone was scared off . Now suddenly Franklin is this pile of trouble that was so obviously unmanageable at hawthorn. every time a star wants to move all these character slurs are thrown often by the media as well as fans. Jeez if they are so much trouble wouldn't the clubs be better off getting rid of them. Even cousins got picked up again. The AFL clubs and fans seem pretty immature when it comes to dealing with free agency. For example geelong delisted some their vetrans who want to play on some reward for loyalty there. Players have every right to shop around and if clubs aren't inquiring or prepared to do deals they shouldn't complain when they miss out. Sydney did inquire and did a deal Franklin got what he wanted i personally think the swans paid too much and have to rely on their young midfield to carry their cap for a couple of years until goodes and o'keffee retire.
Nick
Roar Guru
The players you named were mainly before the no dickheads policy. And you don't quite understand the point of the policy either. You can be a dickhead on the field, but you cant be a dickhead off the field. Barry Hall for all his flaws on the field, once he joined Sydney he had a very quiet off field reputation. Buddy will be given the same chance. If he gets drunk at the pub and urinates on someone, then he will be sacked pronto.
kick to kick
Guest
Agreed. I also think that the Swans may be hoping that senior players like Adam Goodes will help Buddy mature and even eventually take on some of Goodes' mantle as an indigenous role model.
Franko
Guest
LUCIE VAN DEN BERG HERALD SUN MAY 23, 2013 4:52PM UPDATE: HAWKS star Lance "Buddy" Franklin says the woman who he verbally abused on the weekend started the incident.
Liam
Roar Rookie
swans never post any profits, but on the other hand, they never seem to post any losses either. I have a feeling they actually do make some good coin, but pay it forward into things continually ( player facilities, academys etc ) so they always look breadline.
Linedropout
Roar Pro
It won't be a waste of money. Players will be pushing $2m a year before Buddy's Swans contract expires.
Freddy from Bondi
Guest
Theres more to a club than results lemo.... Mark my words...he'll get caught up in the bright lights of the Eastern Suburbs, starting hanging around his besties like Kurtley Beale and now probably James O'Connor. He'll be more concerned about making the pages of Sydney Confidential than his on-field performances. No matter how good he is...he'll be an almighty waste of cash if it affects the club culture
Penster
Guest
Nice one!
Matt
Guest
Where is the evidence that the swans are using the COLA to poach players? Or is it just that they've managed their salary cap exceptionally well so that they can afford to target big names coming off contract? The COLA is not just a slush fund the swans can spend as they wish, as many fans seem to think it is. It is not 9.8% extra salary cap. It is 9.8% extra that goes on top of every contract they have - a big difference. Is recruiting Buddy any different to recuriting BBB Hall? Or Plugger? Or Capper? or Brereton? The Swans have always looked for headline forwards, its as much a part of the Sydney swans as has been the 'no dickheads' policy.
BigAl
Guest
I am not sure that there is significant hard evidence that Franklin is a 'dickhead' ! Sure there were rumors and innuendo which only Caro Wilson seemed to be running with (being drunk at the GP in front of AD; missing games because of ???), and even then it came to nothing substantial. Maybe because in Melbourne Lance Franklin is everyone's No. 1 Buddy ?! - I'm sure he won't be given this leeway in Sydney.
Reece Jordan
Roar Pro
Unfortunately, a team-first culture doesn't do so well for your profile and membership base in Sydney. To only profit $200,000 in your Premiership year is pretty alarming. Now with an expansion team in the same market, loaded with some gun young players which will become elite, the Swans had to find a big name like Franklin who at least some people in Sydney know. I believe this more of a PR signing than anything, although I'll be more than happy to take his performance on the field too.
lemo
Guest
I think he's coming to join a football team Freddy not a debating team - let me know how you feel half way through next year when he's lighting up the SCG on a regular basis. LRT - that's funny
Chris Chard
Expert
The Swans have a no dickeheadS policy....they're allowed to have one
lemo
Guest
I think it is standard procedure to look into all of these types of deals prior to approval by the AFL - to suggest it is being done due to the nature of the deal or the club and player involved is wrong.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
The Swans have a long history of taking troubled players and tuning them around - Lockett, Hall, Shaw, etc Nothing to see here. Move along.
Linedropout
Roar Pro
Flat-brimmed caps don't equate to culture changes; he's been at Hawthorne for 9 seasons and there's been no problem. They've won two premierships with him so I don't think he disturbs team set-ups.
Franko
Guest
Adam Heuskes, Michael O'Loughlin (in his early days), Nick Davis, Warrick Capper, Barry Hall, Kurt Tippett, Tony Lockett, Rhyce Shaw, Peter Everitt, Dermott Brereton – I wouldn’t worry too much about the “no D-H policy”, Sydney have had their fair share over the years and have come out ok. Brett Kirk, Paul Kelly, Paul Williams, Jude Bolton, these are the guys that end up getting the attention in Sydney, not the D-H’s listed above, they may well have the best PR department in the country.