Will Hayward reveals conversation with John Longmire that helped him stay at Sydney

It wasn’t until he had a “really good, honest chat” with former Swans coach John Longmire that settled his anxieties.

But that was life as a free agent, where players are faced with a life changing choice between loyalty, security, money and a new home.

Hayward eventually turned down a six year offer from Carlton to remain a Swan later in the 2024 season, after putting everything on the table in an open 45 minute conversation with his coach.

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It was this raw moment between player and coach that left the experienced Swan “taken aback” and feeling “really comfortable” however his free agency played out.

Admitting that without the transparency from his coach “I don’t know what would have happened.”

“It’s (free agency) definitely stressful and it can change so quickly as well,” Hayward told Code Sports.

“There was probably a stage through the first half of the year (2024) where I genuinely thought I was going to be at another club.

“I remember saying to Horse (John Longmire), you know, if this is where we sit, I’ll probably be at another club next year.

“Not because I want to be, I don’t want to go to another club but the gap’s too big or whatever.

“I said I just need a little bit more from you guys, he was so understanding.

“I’ll never forget it. He’s someone that’s had a massive impact on me and my career for sure.”

While the argument is often made that the AFL should adopt a more relentless trade system seen across international sports like the NBA, EPL and NFL, Hayward was grateful that he was able to have confidence in the personal side of the sport.

“I’m fully aware at the end of the day, it’s a business, you do what’s best for your business and sometimes that can be pretty brutal,” Haywood said.

“I sort of thought it was just all up to the manager and you speak to your manager.

“I don’t know how many free agents go into the head coach’s office and have a genuine conversation.

“I love this club, they drafted me, they’ve developed me and it’s a really good place to work and if it went the other way, I still would have been so grateful for that conversation that I had.”

Despite putting pen to paper on a five year deal last year, Hayward’s name has been floated as part of a potential trade scenario that would land dual Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow at the Swans.

Hayward hopes to be playing his 10th AFL season in the Harbour City and is yet to hear “anything that has legs just yet”.

Instead he’s enjoying a longer off-season break than he’s used to after the Swans missed out on September action this year, for the first time in five seasons.

Between Japan travels and now jetting off to South America, Hayward’s off field ventures have turned down the fashion path, the Swan following fellow AFL players Isaac Quaynor and Tom De Koning to be part of Superdry’s latest campaign alongside partner and stylist, Victoria Burns.

“I was actually quite anxious,” Hayward said about stepping out of his comfort zone and into the fashion scene.

“I just said to the photographer, you’re going to need to keep talking to me because I’m quite uncomfortable and you need to get it out of me.

“I actually enjoyed that a lot more than I thought I expected to.”

It’s not just fashion that Hayward has ventured into off the field.

The Swan started up an alcoholic drinks brand ‘Doozys’ with teammates Isaac Heeney and Ollie Florent rivalling ‘Barry’s drinks’ headed up by superstars Josh and Nick Daicos, Bailey Smith and Curnow.

As it turns out, Smith was offered a piece of the Doozy pie before Barry’s existed.

All in good faith, Hayward revealed that the Doozy team “tried to get Bailey on board” in the early days.

“His management wasn’t too keen and then one year later, he started his own,” Hayward laughed.

“I’ll just make sure that if we end up getting Charlie Curnow, if that happens, I’ll fill his locker up with a couple of cases of Doozys.”

The Swans players have made a seltzer splash five years on from the idea that originated at the Covid hub in Queensland, when the whole team were throwing out hypotheticals.

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One being: “You have to start a business tomorrow, what would you do?”

Before they knew it, Hayward and Florent were spending all their off field time filling up their cars of Doozy seltzer cases and “cold calling bottle shops, trying to sell it ourselves.”

Now, they have a whole team behind them making the dream work.