Cap space: How will Sydney use salary cap room created by Lance Franklin’s retirement?

This club is known for making big statements on the trade front. They are ready to make their next big play — and two uncontracted stars could be on their list.

Sydney Swans are ready to make their next big play.

For the best part of two decades, the club has been ahead of the curve in the trade space, often opting for more trusted commodities over the uncertainty of draft picks.

Premiership coach Paul Roos led the strategy to a drought-breaking flag in 2005, and when the club poached Lance Franklin from Hawthorn in 2012, former AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick was so angry he abolished the Cost of Living Allowance and banned the Swans from trading.

But for the first time in a long time, the Swans will enter the exchange period like a hungry teen at a barbecue.

They’re circling a tall, such as Carlton’s Tom De Koning and Giant Harry Himmelberg to beef up the spine, and perhaps a big-bodied clearance-winner to fix some onball headaches.

The Swans have lost the contested possession count in five of their past seven matches including beltings from Melbourne (-34), Geelong (-20) and Fremantle (-15) in the clinches.

On a smaller SCG, the team has to be able to win the hard ball.

And they were staring down the barrel of their worst loss of the season last weekend before North Melbourne’s interchange blunder.

Clearly, the increased cost of living north of the border still handcuffs the club to some degree on its next trade move.

But the impending retirement of Franklin, one of the best to ever pull the socks up, will free up a considerable slice of the salary cap for the Swans to dangle a juicy carrot.

After Lance Franklin retires, who will be Sydney’s next big fish? Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The “Buddy money” Sydney will clear from the cap next year is about half a million dollars after he clinched a new cut-price agreement last season on the back of his 1000th career goal.

No doubt Franklin’s recruitment was a success for the club even though he was unable to win the Swans a premiership.

But from a list management perspective, a new chapter begins.

And traditionally it is a club which makes a big splash.

There’s been Warwick Capper, Tony Lockett, Barry Hall and Franklin over the journey. Superstars.

Richmond’s Dustin Martin is footy’s next best rock star behind Buddy but the Tigers, and Dusty’s management, have continually shut down rumours of a move north to escape the Melbourne spotlight.

As much as Martin may love the lifestyle up in Sydney, and he would undoubtedly help draw crowds in a tough market for the Swans and Giants, there’s nothing to suggest Martin would consider leaving Punt Rd.

Not unless Damien Hardwick’s decision to step away becomes a factor?

Martin, who turns 32 next month, is a Richmond legend and will make the call on his own, but his departure could net the Tigers a decent pick, if it interested them.

Clearly, the Swans have some exciting young midfielders such as Chad Warner, who has been dubbed a future Brownlow Medalist, Errol Gulden, Oliver Florent, and Nick Blakey.

It’s a brilliant base.

And as they charged to last year’s grand final, the unanimous view was the jet-fuelled list was clearly on the up.

But Isaac Heeney has struggled to have an impact this year playing largely forward, injuries have smashed the club and the depleted defence conceded the third-most points in the league between rounds 3 and 10.

Paddy McCartin may not play again due to repeat head knocks, Tom McCartin has had his own concussion issues and Dane Rampe has missed the first half of the season with a neck problem.

All of a sudden, some gaps have emerged.

ON THE LOOKOUT

It is why highly respected list chief Kinnear Beatson was spotted, along with St Kilda list chief Stephen Silvagni, watching Carlton’s burgeoning big man De Koning play a VFL game about one month ago.

While ruckman and mid-season draft prospect Sam Naismith was also running around in the same match, De Koning would tick two big boxes for the Swans.

Firstly, he could lead the ruck for the best part of a decade where the club has missed injured veteran big man Tom Hickey, and to a lesser extent Sam Reid.

The Swans gambled on Reid’s body in the grand final thrashing from Geelong last year and it backfired.

And secondly, De Koning has the capacity and flexibility to play back and forward as well, either helping replace Paddy McCartin if he doesn’t go on, or Franklin’s position in attack.

Injured big man Peter Ladhams was traded across from Port Adelaide, but hasn’t looked like the answer yet.

The Swans have struggled for height at times so much this year they played Callum Mills, who is perhaps their best midfielder, on Geelong superstar spearhead Tom Hawkins, and went down by 93 points in Round 6.

Tom De Koning in action in the VFL. Picture: Ian Currie

De Koning may be perfect for the Swans, but it remains hard to see the club fork out $800,000 a year for him, meaning John Longmire’s men will have to consider other tall options, too.

It is why the Swans are also eyeing GWS Giants key forward-defender Himmelberg, who is another who can play both ends, and is already living in Sydney.

TIME TO DECIDE

The curtains will be drawn back on their intentions somewhat in round 15.

That’s the mid-season bye for the Giants and Blues and a time when players sit down with their agents for important talks on their futures over a coffee or bowl of ramen.

It’s a little fork in the road for players such as De Koning, who hasn’t played a senior game for Carlton since round 5, and Himmelberg who are weighing up a move. Perhaps even Jack Silvagni as a workhorse and team-oriented tall? Another target.

Are you happy? Does the role suit? Is it time to re-sign? Or are talks off until the end of the year? Is more think-time required? Are we out?

The query with De Koning at Carlton is his role. He isn’t Carlton’s preferred ruckman and he plays third banana in the forward line next to Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

So the Swans will likely bait the hook, but not with a big-money offer like in Franklin’s case.

It’s the opportunity to live in Sydney away from the Melbourne bubble. To be part of a great culture and a talented young list.

And to play in the right role. De Koning would be the Swans’ No.1 ruckman.

SALARY SACRIFICE

But the Swans won’t have unlimited cash.

Perhaps unlike the salary sacrifice system at Geelong, the Swans have had to pay their stars decent coin, largely due to the costs of living in Sydney.

Houses are 30 per cent more expensive in Sydney than in Melbourne.

And with limited New South Wales players being drafted out or rugby league heartland each year, the Swans have to rely largely on interstate talent.

It means their contracts attract a premium price.

It was, in part, the reason why the club lost onball star and new Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson to the Crows.

They also parted ways with Darcy Cameron, who would be their No.1 ruckman, premiership big man Toby Nankervis, and playmaking trio George Hewett, Gary Rohan and Zak Jones.

And why they had to pay decent money for Heeney when North Melbourne threw the kitchen sink at him years ago.

Harry Himmelberg is another possible target. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

A new contested ballwinner will be easier to locate than the tall, considering the price Essendon paid for onballer Will Setterfield (future fourth round pick) and Fremantle’s move on Will Brodie (and pick 19 for a second-rounder).

The Swans have kept Heeney forward largely this year and hard nut Luke Parker, who has been a great of the club, turns 31 at season’s end.

Mills is the linchpin but he was moved into defence to plug a gap and is now out injured, too.

It means they need some help in the clinches.

The club would love to develop more talent out of New South Wales and the Swans clearly hit the jackpot with Mills, Heeney and Blakey.

It has arguably the best academy program in the game, but good judges say footy is in danger north of the border.

The key for the Swans is developing more homegrown talent, and there are strong calls for the league to hand the club more salary cap space and scope to offset the cost of living in Sydney.

Who wants to head to the Harbour City?

The welcome mat is out.

Originally published as Cap space: How will Sydney use salary cap room created by Lance Franklin’s retirement?