You were in financial problems. Edeltsen gave your club a ton of money to take Toohey, Williams and Bolton off your hands. Tom Hafey that coached them all probably was involved in talking the players up to Sydney.
Not sure you got draft picks for them or players. This was 1986. Biggest off season ever. Not sure if salary cap had started then but in 1987 was first proper draft the league ran at end of the season. They went from 3rd last on ladder to 2nd the next season. You guys just out of finals in last year Williams, Toohey and Bolton played in your team and ended up 4th last the next season.
Given it got Geelong out of financial problems not worst trade in world.
Bit on it below just found found from Wiki and also bit part of newspaper article from Age from years ago.
On 31 July 1985, for what was thought to be $6.3 million, Geoffrey Edelsten "bought" the Swans; in reality it was $2.9 million in cash with funding and other payments spread over five years. Edelsten resigned as chairman in less than twelve months, but had already made his mark. He immediately recruited former Geelong coach Tom Hafey. Hafey, in turn, used his knowledge of Geelong's contracts to recruit David Bolton, Bernard Toohey and Greg Williams, who would all form a key part of the Sydney side, at a league-determined total fee of $240,000 (less than the $500,000 Geelong demanded and even the $300,000 Sydney offered). The likes of Gerard Healy, Merv Neagle and Paul Morwood were also poached from other clubs, and failed approaches were made to Simon Madden, Terry Daniher, Andrew Bews and Maurice Rioli.
Edelsten said he made the right call in signing Hafey. He also also lured the likes of Gerard Healy, then with Melbourne, Geelong trio Greg Williams, David Bolton and Bernard Toohey, Essendon's Merv Neagle and Footscray captain Jim Edmund to Sydney in lucrative deals. He also ensured emerging full-forward Warwick Capper remained at the club.
Reports at the time suggested Edelsten had spent $2 million on players. The salary cap was $1.2 million.
''I knew Sydney did not follow a team that wasn't successful. It became glamorous when we were winning games and Warwick Capper was taking speccie marks and kicking 100 goals,'' Edelsten said.
''The sore point was the salary cap being strictly enforced, no allowance being for extra costs for living in Sydney or relocation of players.
''That was grossly unfair and affected people like Maurice Rioli and Paul Morwood. I still today have a feeling of grief over Paul Morwood that he couldn't play and was left out and there was nothing he could do.''
The Swans would make the finals in 1986-87, but Edelsten's time would only last until July '86 .
It was reported that he was squeezed out by the new owners of Powerplay, the club's controlling company. But a police investigation into Edelsten's links with hitman Christopher Dale Flannery is believed to also have played a role in his demise.
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