Sydney CEO Tom Harley has commented on the recent report that Lance Franklin could leave the Swans amid frustrations around contract negotiations.
Reports on Wednesday suggested Franklin had been low-balled by Sydney and was weighing up playing on elsewhere.
Speaking to Gerard Whateley on SEN’s Whateley, Harley answered all questions regarding Franklin, as well as the club’s continued link to Richmond champion Dustin Martin.
Read the transcript below:
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Whateley: Is there a risk Lance Franklin won’t be playing for the Swans next year?
Harley: “I hope not. I saw the article last night and I think most people involved in the footy landscape would know our unwavering position that we don’t talk about player contracts, not withstanding the public interest in some more than others, but the conversations that we’re having with Lance have remained very respectful with significant amounts of goodwill, great intent and mostly intent from the club and Lance’s point of view, private.”
Whateley: Are you concerned that you’re at mid-July and don’t have a deal?
Harley: “No, I’m not concerned about that. The reason why I’m not concerned about that is there are very few people who are involved in these conversations and you do them year after year and I feel comfortable with where things are at at the moment. Lance is a unique player and figure in the game and with that the conversations are tailored towards that as well. (It would be) inappropriate and unfair on all parties involved to go into the specifics of that.”
Whateley: Are the numbers in the public domain accurate?
Harley: “Not for me to comment on that.”
Whateley: Are you resolute that you want Franklin to finish his career at the right time at the Swans?
Harley: “Absolutely. There’s no doubt about that. We think that Lance has been an amazing contributor to the club and the code and has become ironically Sydney and part of the Sydney Swans family, so that’s absolutely our intent.”
Whateley: Have the Swans low-balled Buddy with your initial offer?
Harley: “I’m not getting into that. As a club and as an individual, we always enter discussions highly respectfully and I would assume the respect coming back the other way is reciprocated.
“I can say that the conversations, I can only go on my interpretation of them, but the conversations have been highly respectful.”
Whateley: Are the Swans stockpiling money for the possibility of Dustin Martin being available?
Harley: “Absolutely not. That is one thing I will comment on because there is absolutely no link between these two stories and these two players. I’ve said repeatedly and consistently, as I’ve said with Lance, that we have had no contact with nor conversations with Dustin Martin. He is not our player and it would be inappropriate for us to do that. I am a little bewildered about how the story around Dustin keeps resurfacing and resurfacing with a strong connection to the Swans because that is absolutely not the case.”
Whateley: If things go well with the Buddy negotiations from here, when will you expect the deal to be done?
Harley: “It will play its natural course. I’m not overly concerned about timelines on this. The concern is the respectful conversations and that they continue in good faith.”