Trade talk: Amartey and Swans “a fair way off” in contract talks

Joel Amartey and the Sydney Swans remain “a fair way off” when it comes to a new contract for the key forward.

SEN’s Sam Edmund is reporting that the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of this season, is not necessarily close to agreeing with the Swans right now.

Amartey penned a three-year deal back in 2023 and is now due to go again, but there is likely to be a significant difference between what he will demand and what the Swans can offer given they’ve recently spent up on Charlie Curnow and the likes of Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden are on big money.

Edmund says there are no offers elsewhere but it will be an intriguing situation to see how it unfolds with the Swans.

“Joel Amartey comes as an unrestricted free agent and he does remain a fair way off a new deal at Sydney,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“There's, what do they say, ongoing dialogue, but nothing close to being done.

“The Swans haven't yet offered Amartey a contract and we know the cap there is very much on the tight end. Bottom line is that there will be a gap between the Swans' best offer and what rivals are prepared to pay.

“Amartey knows that too, but it's about how much less he's willing to take in his desire to stay that makes it interesting. So he doesn't want to entertain any rival offer at the moment.

“He wants to see what Sydney's offer looks like but this is a forward line that has Curnow and (Logan) McDonald, (Hayden) McLean's below those two and on the periphery, but he's there at the moment as well.

“There's a school of thought he was Kinnear Beatson's project of sorts as a 2018 rookie pick, but it's a relatively new list team there now headed by Chris Keane.

“He’s 26, unrestricted, comes for nothing.

“So I'd love to get both your thoughts on this player.”

SEN Breakfast co-hosts Tim Watson and Garry Lyon then discussed Amartey who has kicked 97 goals in 66 appearances including 43 majors in 2024 when the Swans played off in the Grand Final.

Watson compared Amartey’s 11 goals and 24 marks in five matches so far in 2026 to what big-money signing Curnow has delivered since crossing from Carlton - nine goals and 22 marks.

Watson: “Well, if you're his manager, you'd be looking at the numbers that Charlie Curnow is producing and then you might be thinking about whether or not he's worth a similar amount of money, would you not?”

Lyon: “No, I see it a bit differently. He did kick 43 goals in a Grand Final year.

“He should get second banana money. He doesn't get Charlie Curnow money.

“Because I think he's a second banana. I don't think he can hold a forward line and be the key piece. He benefits enormously from Charlie.”

Watson: “That’s right, but Charlie's not proving that he can be that either.”

Lyon: “If you want to move Amartey you've got to pay ‘move money’, but don't pay him ‘main man money’.”

Watson: “There's also ‘big forward money’ too. If you play those positions then there's a premium associated with that too.”

Lyon: “He's a good player, 43 goals in a Grand Final year is testament to that.

“I think he's been a beneficiary, I think Charlie coming and taking the main man has helped Joel Amartey enormously.”

Edmund: “He wants Amartey party money doesn't he? He’s capable of a big bag but he needs one now.”