SYDNEY Swans coach Paul Roos says that the club won’t be speaking to players such as West Coast Eagles star Daniel Kerr and Collingwood forward Alan Didak while they are contracted to other clubs.
Both players have been touted as possible trade bait with the Sydney Swans linked to Kerr, but Roos was adamant that the club wouldn’t be approaching contracted players unless their respective clubs gave the go ahead.
“He [Daniel Kerr] a contracted player and until we hear anything different we won’t do anything,” Roos said.
“If they [West Coast] were to say that they weren’t interested in keeping him or wanted to trade him or whatever we would certainly look at him because he is a quality player and it is certainly very hard to come across those guys.
“At this stage we are not hearing other than he is contracted next year and I believe they are in negotiations so we will wait and see.”
Roos did admit that securing a quality player such as Kerr could be the difference between the Swans succeeding next year or not.
“A top shelf player makes a big difference we know that. Our best midfielder was playing full-forward on Friday night because he was not capable of playing in the midfield. Now, Adam Goodes in the midfield makes us a very different football team. If you are able to get a quality player from another club then it will make you a different football team. These are decisions you have to weigh up and determine as a footy club.”
Didak too is another player who the Sydney Swans would be interested in if he became available.
“Alan is probably similar to Kerr,” Roos said. “He is contracted to Collingwood but if Alan became available would we talk to Collingwood about him? Yes, we probably would. We talk amongst ourselves first but he is another quality player but at this stage he is a contracted Collingwood player and out of respect for Collingwood we wouldn’t be talking to Alan unless we got approval.”
However, the Sydney Swans coach ruled out picking up ex-Melbourne player Jeff White.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “There was a little bit written on the weekend. Jeff still has something to offer AFL footy. I think he is a good player and he is only 31. I think from our point of view, probably not. You would have to relocate him from Melbourne and we have Daniel Curry who is a young ruckman coming up and Jake Orreal.”