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THE Swans have made a $7m bid to steal Hawthorn's premiership winner Lance Franklin from cross-town rivals, the GWS Giants.
News Limited can reveal that the move, which will stun the AFL world and enrage Melbourne clubs, involves a five-year, $1.4m per season to lure Franklin to the 2012 premiers.
Franklin won his second premiership with the Hawks on Saturday but the superstar's transfer to the AFL's newest franchise, GWS, has been widely reported as a certainty all season.
The Hawks have cobbled together $1.1m a year to entice the goalkicking sensation to stay. and while the Swans' 11th hour offer is left in the shade by the Giants' $2m a season deal, there are a host of reasons that could win over Franklin.
* Franklin's close mate, Wallaby Kurtley Beale, has returned to Sydney to play Super Rugby for the Waratahs, who train at Allianz Stadium, next door to the SCG;
Kurtley Beale is confident his mooted Waratahs return would spark a return to form. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited
* He would playing in a fearsome frontline alongside Kurt Tippett, the former Adelaide powerhouse;
* The Swans have room to move on the roster and salary cap, given recent retirements and transfers;
* Franklin could be contesting a premiership in 2014, rather than trying to avoid the wooden spoon with the young Giants; and
* The two-time Coleman medallist would be following in the footsteps of Tony Lockett and Barry Hall, St Kilda superstars who relished being out of the AFL spotlight in Sydney.
The Swans will also be pinning their hopes on the desire of Franklin for a change from the fish bowl existence of an AFL star in Melbourne.
Franklin is a regular on the Sydney social scene and loves the relative anonymity the NRL-loving city provides.
The Swans must clear the decks to fit Franklin into the salary cap but are helped by a combination of retirements and players on the move.
Space in the salary cap has been created by the retirement of three 2012 premiership players Jude Bolton, Marty Mattner and Mitch Morton.
Power forward Jesse White has also requested a trade and has met with Collingwood.
The big blow for the Swans would be the almost certain departure of premiership ruckman Shane Mumford.
Sydney are yet to make an offer to extend Mumford's four-year stay at the SCG.
Hawthorn are known to be very keen on his services and have regularly added to their talented with quality players from other clubs including Norm Smith medallist Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs), Jack Gunston (Adelaide), Shaun Burgoyne, David Hale and Josh Gibson (North Melbourne)
If the Swans do manage to pull of the audacious move Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold will be screaming blue murder over Sydney's nine per cent cost of living allowance.
The Melbourne presidents were up in arms when the best talent on the open market Tippett made his way to the Swans last year.
If Sydney do manage to snare Franklin and Tippett the pressure on the AFL to remove their allowance would further grow.
From a pure football point of view the sight of Tippett and Franklin playing in the same team and on the same forward line would be tantalising.
If Franklin does find his way to the SCG, Mumford is certainly gone and Tippett would have to carry some of the ruck duties with Mike Pyke.
His 202cm and 104kg frame is capable of handling the workload.
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