Sydney list guru Kinnear Beatson has denied that his club tactically bid on players to upset the draft plans of other clubs.
The Swans have been widely praised for their craftiness following Monday night where their decision to bid on GWS Academy prospect Harry Rowston essentially cost the Giants pick 17.
Had Sydney not bid on him, GWS would have been able to use pick 17 on whoever they liked and then match later bids for Rowston.
Fox Footy reported that the Swans called the Giants before announcing the bid, offering them a trade that would see the teams swap picks 16 and 17, with GWS giving up later selections as well. They obviously turned down the trade, electing to simply match for Rowston at 17.
The Swans doubled down by then bidding on Adelaide father-son prospect Max Michalanney, which threw the Crows’ later picks into chaos and forced them into some Tuesday night trading.
In the end Sydney didn't even use the selection, making a trade with Hawthorn for pick 27, a future second round pick and a future third – and then even took Hawks Academy player Cooper Vickery at 27.
“We go off our talent order,” Beatson told Fox Footy when asked about their disruptive draft work.
“We weren’t sure if they were being matched.”
Beatson also knocked back claims that the bids were earlier than initially expected.
“A bolter in whose eyes? People making phantom drafts?” he said.
“He’s not a bolter on our list. We just feel we had been looking for a small defender.
“We wouldn’t bid for anybody who we wouldn’t want on our list.”
Sydney exited the draft with Jacob Konstanty at pick 20, Vickery at 27 and Caleb Mitchell at pick 40.