The Sydney Swans accept the AFL clarification on the trade restrictions related to the phasing out of the cost of living allowance.

Sydney Swans General Manager of Football Tom Harley said that the club was satisfied with the clarification.

“While the Club is firmly of the view there should be no restrictions at all, the clarification of the ruling gives us more flexibility during the upcoming exchange period,” he said.

“The club has not breached an AFL rule and we still consider the initial ruling unnecessary.

“However, we accept the AFL’s clarification on the decision and now consider the matter closed,” Harley said.

The AFL have agreed that the Swans would be permitted to replace one player who leaves the club as either a free agent or as part of a trade, with a contract offer of up to $450,000 per year.

If the club chooses to replace a departing player with this option, the Sydney Swans’ transitional COLA amount of $600,000 for the 2016 season will be lowered by 9.8 per cent of the traded-out player’s contract, if that player was contracted for 2016.