Swans make $1.6m move on Sherman Greg Denham
The Australian
October 01, 2010 THE future of contracted Brisbane midfielder Justin Sherman hangs in the balance following a massive four-year $1.6 million offer from Sydney.
The offer is far in excess of what Richmond has put in front of the disenchanted Lions runner, who told the Tigers they were his preference and that he had no plans to live in Sydney.
Sherman, who was recruited from Tasmania, is also being wooed by the Western Bulldogs.
In the same management stable as Gary Ablett -- IMG's Liam Pickering -- Sherman's requirement to at least one of his Melbourne-based suitors is a three-year contract at $375,000 a season.
The Tigers are understood to have told Sherman's management to present something closer to $300,000.
Should Richmond walk away because of Sherman's high price tag, the Swans appear to have the front running even though the 23-year-old has told clubs he wants to relocate to Melbourne.
Brisbane is keen to trade out players for draft selections because of its bulging salary-cap problem over the next few years, and is understood to be open to a second-round national draft pick for Sherman.
Sherman has two years left on a heavily back-ended contract worth about $800,000 for 2011 and 2012 combined.
Like a number of his teammates, he played this year on greatly reduced money, mainly due to the need to restructure contracts to fit Brendan Fevola's huge salary into the Lions' cap.
Without shedding players and rearranging current contracts, the Lions could be as much as $1m over next year's cap and in even deeper trouble the year after.
Brisbane, which has already significantly reduced next year's total player payments with the loss of Michael Rischitelli to the Gold Coast and the imminent defections of Jared Brennan and Sherman, may have to cut more players or their salaries because of its need for more cap relief.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/swans-make-16m-move-on-sherman/story-e6frg7mf-1225932547797
