The Sydney Swans are poised to announce a contract extension for promising young forward Logan McDonald.
The Swans, currently enjoying a remarkable 11-1 start to the AFL season, have been bolstered by key re-signings. Last week, Will Hayward committed to a five-year deal, joining Errol Gulden and James Rowbottom in making long-term commitments to the club.
McDonald, a talented forward originally from Western Australia, has naturally attracted interest from Fremantle and West Coast. However, he has recently expressed a desire to remain in Sydney, and it appears that the Swans could confirm his new contract within days.
“There’s been a lot of talk about Logan McDonald over the last couple of years,” Daniels said on Triple M. “Will he come back to Fremantle, will he potentially even go to West Coast? Will he stay at Sydney? I believe that the announcement that he’ll stay at Sydney is imminent. I reckon we might see it even this week.”
McDonald, who played just seven games in his debut season in 2021, has since flourished. He played 17 games the following year but was a tough omission for the grand final. Last year, he kicked 32 goals in 20 games and is showing even stronger form in 2024 with 19 goals from 12 games. Even on the two occasions he has gone goalless this season, he has still contributed three direct assists.
The Swans are currently just one win away from matching last year’s total of 12 victories. Despite their strong start, coach John Longmire insists there is still work to be done to prove their premiership credentials.
The league leaders were goalless in the first quarter against Geelong on Sunday but turned the game around with five unanswered goals in the second term. From 29 points down, Sydney was within a goal by half-time and ahead by the end of the third quarter, eventually securing a 30-point victory.
“You can’t flirt when you’re playing well,” Longmire said. “We’ve still got a bit of work to do on our starts. We certainly got exposed. We saw what happened in the first quarter against a good team when you just take the pressure off a little bit. We don’t want to be just one that relies upon talent. When we’re working hard and we’re putting pressure on, our talent then is able to come through. It doesn’t work the other way around.”
As the Swans continue their impressive season, the impending contract extension for McDonald adds to the growing sense of stability and promise at the club.
