Latest AFL News

How Giants despair over Academy bid could have been avoided

The Giants appeared less than pleased with Sydney’s surprise bid.

Published by
Jake Benoiton

Sydney's attempted poaching of GWS Academt product Harry Rowston seemingly ruffled the feathers of the Giants' list management team on night one of the draft, but apparently could have been avoided.

The Swans used their Pick 16 to bid on Rowston forcing GWS to match the bid earlier than they maybe had anticipated, leaving those within the Giants camp looking less than impressed.

GWS National Recruiting Manager Adrian Caruso spoke after night one of the draft and said the look on his face caught by cameras wasn't one of anger, putting it down to having "a lot on his plate" at that time.

"We were dealing with other possibilities in terms of trades at the time," Caruso said.

"We'd always come into the night knowing we wanted to bring in Harry Rowston.

"I don't think the Swans owe us anything, it is what it is."

The move definitely wasn't in the ideal planning for the GWS camp on the evening and was not received overly well.

However, Sydney had offered GWS a potential pick swap in order to mitigate the damage should the Giants not wish to match Sydney's bid at Pick 16 but the Giants weren't willing to play ball at that stage.

One of the offers discussed was for the Swans to gain the Giants' future first which they secured from Richmond and for the Swans to drop from Pick 16 to Pick 20.

Another potential deal put to the Giants would have seen them lose two first-round picks this year for the pick the Swans used to bid on Rowston.

Zero Hanger contacted both GWS and Sydney on the matter, with the Giants confirming this had indeed been the case.

Published by
Jake Benoiton