Letter form the Chairman
AFL Trade Week
Dear members and fans,
The AFL Trade week concluded at 7:30pm yesterday. We have added Charlie Curnow (Carlton), Malcolm Rosas Jnr (Gold Coast) and Jai Serong (Hawthorn) to our player list.
The trade process saw the Sydney Swans trade Will Hayward and Oliver Florent to Carlton, and Jack Buller to Collingwood.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge and thank Will, Ollie and Jack for their contribution to our club and wish each of them the very best at their new clubs. I would also like to thank their families for their support of their sons and our club during their time here.
Ollie and Will have been a big part of our club for nearly a decade. They were each drafted to the Swans in the 2016 National Draft. Fittingly, they each played 184 games for the Swans, and will now continue their careers, together at Carlton. We have watched each of them mature as footballers and young men. It has been our privilege to watch them develop into the people they are today. Outstanding men, with the highest integrity and enviable energy and optimism.
They have both been honoured with Sydney Swans Life Membership, and it is fair to say that all of us at the club are honoured to have forged what I am sure will be life-long friendships with each of them.
The past couple of days has been emotional for all involved and it has been a very difficult decision for each of them to agree to be traded. Will and Ollie have carried themselves with great maturity and personal strength during the trade process. Player movement is, at times, very challenging for all involved. However, this is the nature of professional sport today. Getting the right mix of personnel for team balance and performance involves difficult trade-offs. Will and Ollie will forever be welcome at our club and should be very proud of the friendships they have formed and the positive impact they have had on the Sydney Swans.
With the sadness of saying goodbye to much loved people such as Will, Ollie and Jack, is the hope improved chances of success as we bring in new players who we think can impact our squad in a different way.
We are extremely excited and optimistic about what Charlie, Malcolm and Jai can bring to our club.
In particular, there has been plenty of positive media commentary about what Charlie can bring to our team. Like all our fans and members I cannot wait for the moment he lights up the SCG for the first time, joining our team as we return to finals football alongside our array of star players. Season 2026 should be incredibly exciting for all of us.
As Chairman, I am very proud of our people and the amazing culture that they have embraced from past generations of players and staff and then worked to enhance and make their own. It is the hard work and dedication of all our people, including our departing players, that continues to make the Sydney Swans a club that players such as Charlie, Malcolm and Jai aspire to join.
The AFL Trade period is filled with mixed emotions, and results are driven by hard work and meticulous planning. The sadness of saying goodbye to much loved players cannot be understated. However, I feel great confidence and excitement for what lays ahead as we welcome new stars of tomorrow.
Cheer, cheer
Andrew Pridham
Chairman, Sydney Swans
