The AFL Players Association has joined the Sydney fight to lift the trade restrictions placed upon the club with players' union boss Paul Marsh holding talks with AFL chiefs in the coming days.
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The Swans will submit their challenge to the AFL Commission next Wednesday. The club has not ruled out taking legal action against the league as the 2015 trade period approaches and the reality of its situation sinks in.
Marsh spoke with Swans CEO Andrew Ireland during the AFL's parliamentary function in Canberra on Wednesday night. He told Fairfax Media the AFLPA regarded the original trade ban and subsequent restrictions as unfair on the club and its players.
Marsh added his union also remained concerned that the restrictive nature of Sydney's bid to trade at the end of this season would impact upon players from other clubs. "I'll be taking the issue to the AFL shortly," said Marsh who did not rule out continuing to fight the league's decision.
Sydney has been linked to key players such as Zac Smith and Matthew Leuenberger and could also struggle to successfully trade Lewis Jetta should that player seek to depart at the end of the season.
Jetta's contract with the Swans expires at the end of the season. The significance of not being allowed to bring in a player earning more than the AFL's average wage has loomed large as deficiencies in Sydney's list have emerged as the season has progressed.
The AFL has still not responded to accusations of lying from Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham who launched a strong attack on the competition's governing body before last week's Swans-Magpies game.
Pridham revealed that Ireland had written to league boss Gillon McLachlan requesting the AFL desist from claiming Sydney had been aware of the coming trade ban as it negotiated its phase out of the cost of living allowance.
The club's frustration had mounted after senior player Ted Richards had questioned McLachlan about the trade sanction at a player meeting with AFL chiefs during the 2015 pre-season.
McLachlan's explanation included the claim the club had been aware of the forthcoming ban.
That comment provoked the Ireland correspondence to which McLachlan did not reply.
The claim was repeated last week on Melbourne radio by AFL football boss Mark Evans, which Pridham said had fuelled the club's disenchantment with the competition's governing body.
Ireland is understood to have discussed the issue with chairman Mike Fitzpatrick at the Canberra function.
Pridham accused the AFL commission of "policy on the run" and indicated that not all of Fitzpatrick's board agreed on the motivation for the ban, which was softened last December.
The AFL has continued to remain publicly silent on the battle but has pointed out that Sydney agreed to the new trade restrictions in January.
Pridham conceded this week the club regretted not fighting the AFL sanction, which the Swans believe was motivated by rumours the club was looking to secure another high-profile free agent one year after the Buddy Franklin signing.
