When Tom Mitchell ended months of speculation on Monday and told the Swans he was seeking a trade to Hawthorn, Sydney had no choice but to allow him the pursuit of a new employer.
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The star midfielder has essentially been squeezed out of Sydney's already bulging 2017 salary cap, which will devote yet more money next season to million-dollar men Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett.
Franklin's contract is expected to earn him $1.2m in 2017, and Tippett isn't far off the seven-figure mark himself after triggering a clause this season that keeps him in the red and white until the end of 2018.
Mitchell is not the first to have been squeezed out of the Swans since Franklin arrived. Premiership-winning ruckman Shane Mumford was forced out three years ago and has successfully spent his time since at Greater Western Sydney.
But this is a different kind of loss. Mitchell is more a part of the Swans fabric, a father-son selection in 2011 as the child of Barry Mitchell who played 170 games for the club.
With the AFL salary cap likely to increase from $10.6m to almost $12m next season, the Swans were confident of securing Mitchell's future services in June, but the player's manager, Phil Mullen, couldn't come to an agreement with Sydney.
Talks were put on hold until the end of the season and it is understood the Swans fell well short of what Mullen was asking for his client.
Ever since, Mitchell has been linked to Hawthorn, Franklin's old club, and the ball is now in the Hawks' court to make a trade happen - not exactly a straightforward piece of business given they're also in the market for want-away Gold Coaster Jaeger O'Meara.
Sydney and Gold Coast could demand a first-round draft selection for Mitchell and O'Meara, although the Suns have indicated they'd rather a player from the Hawks.
Hawthorn currently holds pick 14 in next month's draft. Should the Swans accept that as a fair exchange for Mitchell, they could potentially take two first-round selections into the draft and bring in more top-end young talent as they've done so well over the past few years.
"It is a strong draft for midfielders especially at the top end," Swans list and strategy manager Kinnear Beatson said.
"If you compare drafts year on year this one is light on for key position and ruck stocks."
Fortunately for the Swans, they're pretty well stocked for ruckmen and key position players, although Toby Nankervis could yet attract some trade interest. He's fourth on the Sydney ruck production line behind Tippett, Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair, but Swans head of football Tom Harley has indicated Nankervis remains a part of the club's future plans.
The Swans are also full of classy midfielders, although if anything they lack a genuine speedster who can carry the ball through the middle of the ground.
That's where a couple of first-round selections could come in very handy.
As good as Mitchell is, Sydney can survive without him. Not many clubs could say that about a player who kicked two goals, racked up 26 disposals and laid six tackles in the grand final loss to the Western Bulldogs earlier this month.
But they already have All Australians Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery and Luke Parker controlling the engine room alongside hard-nosed co-captain Kieren Jack.
Plus, a Mitchell exit frees up cap room that could be devoted to re-signing one of the club's younger stars, with Isaac Heeney, off contract at the end of next season, immediately springing to mind.
Franklin is on the books for another six years, and Tippett at least another two, so expect the Swans to face several more Mitchell situations in the future.
And while neither superstar has yet managed to secure a premiership in Sydney, Franklin believes the club isn't far away.
"We are going to be back better than ever next year," Franklin said at last week's Bob Skilton Medal evening.
"We have a lot of young kids coming through and the senior guys at this football club are really good players.
"It really has been an unbelievable season, obviously we weren't able to get that premiership but I know we have a really special group here."
Meanwhile, GWS has confirmed the trade of Cam McCarthy to the Fremantle Dockers.
The Giants have received pick three in next month's Draft in exchange for McCarthy and selections seven, 34 and 72.
