THE ENMITY between the AFL's two Sydney clubs continues to grow following the recruitment by Swans of Lance Franklin.
In a strongly worded statement on Greater Western Sydney’s website on Wednesday, Giants chairman Tony Shepherd said his club would hold the Swans accountable if the 9.8 per cent cost-of-living-allowance (COLA) was scrapped by the AFL in the wake of the signing of Franklin.
"We strongly support the 9.8 per cent cost of living allowance for the Sydney clubs as there is no doubt that the cost of living in Sydney is significantly higher," he said.
"We would be extremely disappointed if recent deals offered by the Swans jeopardise the future of COLA and I have personally communicated this to departing Swans chairman Richard Colless."
The AFL has confirmed that the allowance is under review and if it is scrapped, then the Giants said they would immediately apply to the League for an expansion allowance, equal in value to COLA for the next few years in order to attract experienced players to the expansion club.
"We expect this would have the support of the other 17 AFL clubs," Shepherd said.
The Giants made a strong play for Franklin, with Shepherd confirming the club forwarded what he called a "very attractive and sensible offer" of $1.2 million a year to Franklin for the next six seasons.
However, like Franklin's former club Hawthorn, the Giants baulked at trying to match Sydney's $10 million, nine-year offer.
"As the AFL noted, a nine year contract for a 26 year-old player is an extraordinary risk and one we would never entertain," added Shepherd.
"To do so would be to risk our list management strategy for the sake of one individual and we were simply not prepared to do that. It would have put intolerable pressure on our salary cap and jeopardised the culture we are trying to build at our club."
The Giants subsequently reacted to the Swans’ offer to Franklin in bizarre fashion, announcing a nine-year deal of their own, with club mascot, G-Man.
The following day they secured Swans premiership ruckman Shane Mumford – a likely salary cap casualty of Franklin's signing – to a four-year deal.
The Swans’ 2005 premiership midfielder Amon Buchanan has left their development academy to become a development coach for the Giants.
The Giants and Swans will open their seasons next year with the fifth instalment of the Battle of the Bridge. It might be the testiest one yet.
