The Sydney Swans confirmed they have offered Lance Franklin a staggering $10 million dollar contract over nine years to leave Hawthorn.
The massive offer, confirmed by AFL.com.au, would be one of the largest in AFL history and extend until the end of the 2022 season.
Buddy’s decision to join the Sydney Swans won’t be known until at least Friday when the club’s offer is officially lodged with the league.
“We are pleased that Lance has expressed his desire to join the Swans,” the club announced in a statement.
The deal has allegedly been in the works since the Hawks’ 2012 Grand Final loss to the Swans when Franklin’s management contacted the team declaring their client’s interest in playing for Sydney.
Sydney’s nine-year offer trumped a rumoured pitch from GWS of a contract worth around of $1.4 million over six seasons.
The Giants officially pulled out of the Franklin race via Twitter, saying “The GIANTS have withdrawn their offer to Buddy Franklin based on advice that he will accept an offer from the Swans.”
“We put forward what we believed to be both a sensible and attractive offer to Franklin,” GWS chief executive David Matthews said Tuesday.
“Contrary to media reports, that offer was $1.2 million a year over six years.
“It appears he has a significantly higher financial offer which we would not have been prepared to make based on our due diligence.
Hawthorn acknowledged Franklin is fully exploring the fruits of free agency.
“Hawthorn … will continue to apply its established list management strategy that puts the needs and interests of the club first,” the club said in a statement.
The Sydney offer falls just short of Brisbane’s 10-year deal with Alastair Lynch which lured the full forward from Fitzroy after the 1993 season. Lynch played 11 seasons for the Lions before retiring in 2004 at age 36.
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