A controversial signing has sparked a verbal feud between leading Victorian AFL clubs and the AFL Board.
The Sydney Swans have reportedly offered Hawthorne star Lance Franklin a contract worth more than $10 million over a 9-year period.
Last year’s premiers have revealed that Mr Franklin and his management approached them just days after the 2012 Grand Final.
Swans Chief Executive Andrew Ireland said everything had fallen into place during the 2013 season to make this deal possible.
Mr Ireland said it was a non-binding contract and nothing could be signed until Friday when trading opens, which gives Hawthorne every opportunity to keep their star forward.
However the big money play has forced Great Western Sydney to withdraw its contract offer, raising concerns of unfairness by rival teams due to Sydney’s 9.8 per cent cost of living allowance.
As a result, the AFL are under great scrutiny by heavyweights of the code who have weighed in on the subject, saying Sydney’s cost of living allowance is unfair to the smaller AFL clubs and limits their chances of winning a premiership anytime soon.
