Tom Hafey - Geelong and The Sydney Razzle Dazzle

Geelong and The Sydney Razzle Dazzle

Hafey was still in demand and he was given a three-year contract to coach Geelong in 1983. Although he had charge of some excellent talent at the club, Hafey was unable to engender the type of team spirit he created at Collingwood and Richmond. In pressure games, his star players often wilted and the team couldn't make the finals during his tenure. During 1985, it became clear that Hafey's contract wouldn't be renewed. However, the timing of his departure would provide him with another unique opportunity.

During the 1985 season, the VFL had sold the Sydney Swans to controversial medical entrepreneur Geoffrey Edelsten, in an attempt to create the first privately-owned club. "Franchising", club licensing, player drafts and salary caps were all concepts borrowed from the United States that the VFL were attempting to import to Australian football at a time of financial crisis. Edelsten was now frantically signing up star players from Melbourne clubs, offering massive contracts to move to the harbour city. The signature he coveted most was Kevin Sheedy, who had just coached Essendon to successive premierships and was the hottest commodity in the game. Sheedy turned Edelsten down, but urged the Swans' owner to sign his old mentor, Tom Hafey. Hafey duly signed on for three years, was given the highest paid list of players in the game, and he relocated to Sydney with his family.