Sydney had a busy day on Wednesday in completing two trades which landed them experienced AFL players from rival clubs.
Taylor Adams joine the Swans from Collingwood while his former Magpies teammate Brodie Grundy will also make the move to the Harbour City after signing from Melbourne.
While the potential Grundy deal had been discussed for months, the interest in Pies vice-captain Adams popped up very late in the piece.
Swans list manager Kinnear Beatson admits the idea of recruiting Adams only became apparent late in the finals series when the player’s manager Winston Rous from Phoenix Management Group approached the club.
Adams was at the time nursing a hamstring injury that saw him miss Collingwood’s premiership.
“To be honest, that was really late, very late in the finals series,” Beatson said of the club’s Adams interest on SEN’s Sportsday.
“If I had to hazard a guess, probably somewhere between the Preliminary Final and the Grand Final, when he got his injury.
“We were approached by his manager (Winston Rous from Phoenix Management Group), would it be something we would look at?
“We were looking to bolster our midfield with an experienced and good stoppage player with some power.
“It was very late and it grew from there pretty quickly.”
Beatson added: “The way he carries himself and the leadership that he has is excellent.
“We’re really pleased with his acquisition, no doubt.”
Adams, who will now play for a third club after starting his career with GWS, has joined the Swans in exchange for Pick 33 in the 2023 AFL Draft.
He was a key cog for Craig McRae’s side throughout 2023, playing 23 games and leading the side for goal assists.
Joining Adams at the SCG is his old Pies colleague Grundy who will also play for a third AFL club after his experiment at Melbourne lasted just one season.
Beatson says Sydney’s interest became serious much earlier in the 2023 campaign knowing that they needed a senior ruckman for 2024 and beyond.
“It’s fair to say after midway through the year when the jungle dreams were beating a bit that he wasn’t happy and not getting enough ruck time,” he said of the Grundy interest.
“We desperately were going to need one (a ruckman). When a player of Brodie’s ilk becomes available, you’re mad not to look at it and follow up on it.
“We were able to do that, he expressed an interest in Sydney, the thought of a new environment where he’s not going to be hassled every two minutes was something that he’s looking forward to. He can walk around the streets of Sydney and not be pulled up every two seconds for a selfie, etcetera.
“Some people thrive on that, others relish the chance to get away from it. For Brodie, that will be a plus for him.”
Grundy makes his way to the Swans in exchange for Pick 46 in this year’s draft as well as a future second-round selection.
The pair have a combined 400 games (Adams 206) and Grundy (194) of experience between them.
The Swans have been very active this trade period, also bringing in Joel Hamling from Fremantle and Grundy’s Demons teammate James Jordon.