Essendon admit they’ll have to roll out the welcome mat for Joe Daniher after the Bombers and Swans failed to come to an agreement to trade the want-away forward, but insist the club will battle to keep him beyond 2020.
Yesterday’s trade deadline stand-off left Daniher and the club he and his family have such close ties with in a position where they need to mend some fences.
“Obviously he’s a little bit disappointed,” list manager Adrian Dodoro said after his phone conversation with Daniher following the breakdown in negotiations.
“But Joey is a resilient young man and actually through this whole process we’ve grown to respect him a hell of a lot more for the person he is.
“We absolutely love him and we think he’ll have a great year next year.
“Joey is a free agent next year and we’re going to fight like hell to retain him.
“But if we’re in this position in 12 months’ time, that’s the nature of the game and you have to accept that and move on.
“Having said that, we’re really confident that we can provide the environment for Joey.”
The Bombers were keen to secure a player in return for Daniher, but Sydney were intent on offering up draft picks only.
The Swans have pick five but strangely enough didn’t offer it to Essendon, instead making pick nine and a future first-rounder their best deal.
“We went into it with an open mind but we set some really clear parameters with the Sydney Swans from the first day,” Dodoro said.
“We were really consistent with what we said, we were honest from the first day and we stuck to our principles.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t get a deal done for Joey.”
While they’ll have to work hard on a couple of strained relationships, Essendon have held onto two key players inside forward 50 after Orazio Fantasia’s odd dalliance with Port Adelaide didn’t go anywhere.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Time the Bombers cut Dodoro. You can’t have someone in that role universally loathed by other clubs and ultimately he hasn’t built a list to challenge for a flag.
Ken Olah
Guest
Most probably you don’t know.
1DER
Guest
Most probably Joe has not be honest with his injuries and his capabilty to play multiple games in shorter periods than normal. Was playing injured during April 2018 and yet played 3 games in 11 days. Virtually the exact same scenario in 2019.
Cracka
Roar Rookie
Clubs will be lining up next trade period to get Papley as Sydney try to get as much space in their salary cap to get Joe out of Melbourne’s Fish Bowl, Joe will walk from the Bombers and get to Sydney the fact the Essendon football club believe they can make Joe fall in love with the club again, that’s telling me they have botched his injuries from day one and Joe is sick off and not trusting of the medical staff at the club, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Joe only play 10 games next year with little return in those games, to try and hold someone against their will and then try to tell them where they can live this will be a massive lost to Essendon. We get told that footy is a business, so consider being told by your employer where you can live or told that your not allow to leave to earn more money at another business just wouldn’t happen in the real world. 11 games in 2 years could turn into 20 games in 3 years. Lets hope picks 5 and 9 don’t turn into a Patty Dangerfield or a Patty Cripps because if they do the Bombers may hurt for 12 to 15 years, just think having a Danger and a Crippa in your midfield for the best part of 12 years and you gave that up just to see the player you gave those picks up for leave anyway. Essendon get a 2 out of 10.
Wayne Kerr
Guest
I love it how he's a restricted free agent next year, but the Bombers can still theoretically keep him if they match Sydney's offer. Thats insane! There shouldn't be any restrictions on the free movement of uncontracted players. The Bombers wanted way too much for him for an injury prone player with 1 year remaining on his contract from Sydney. Don't forget they also wanted Sydney to throw in a player along with picks 5 and 9.
Tim Tyler
Guest
If he doesn't want to stay there,with whom shall they fight?
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
'Unfortunately we couldn't get a deal done for Joey.' That surely qualifies as the most insincere comment ever . . . yes, ever. Dodo's only intention was to make a deal impossible. The fact he can make such outrageous comments without batting an eyelid says it all really. Put Essendon in a locked room next year. With no room service!
Nineteen
Guest
Sydney were never going to win the flag with Daniher in 2020 so why not wait a year and pick up for peanuts. Asking for picks 5 and 9 plus a player was insane. It's no wonder list managers vote Dodoro the worst list manager to deal with in the competition. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-trade-news-afl-trade-period-how-it-works-adrian-dodoro-joe-daniher-sydney-swans/news-story/a2a0763cd6e7fd20ce2f332ed6ab9d68