With the bye rounds done the AFL season turns to two things – the nine-week run to finals and the slightly longer but no less engrossing race for out of contract players.
North Melbourne kicked off the serious business with a reported five-year, $5 million offer to Collingwood youngster Jordan De Goey this week, and the Roos are also believed to be keeping options open on other big names Jeremy McGovern, Rory Sloane and Andrew Gaff.
St Kilda has also been linked to De Goey with an amount similar to the Kangas’ massive numbers supposedly put to the Pies forward.
But can these clubs find the money to meet the offers, and who else has their accounting departments working overtime to find the dollars to spend on big names?
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“I think the amount of room that North have got is right up there in the top couple (of clubs), along with St Kilda and Carlton,” The Age’s chief football reporter Jake Niall told SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning.
“I’m just going on what I learned last year which is (North Melbourne) had room for both Dusty (Dustin Martin) and Josh Kelly.
“The fact that they didn’t land either player, what typically happens with a club in that position is they then front load a couple of the contracts, so the space would not have evaporated.”
The Saints will also be well placed with a list devoid of any high-paid stars and space being cleared this season by the retirements of Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna at the end of 2017.
“But where North are different (is they) have a much more competitive footy team and more senior players, yet they have still created the space.”
The biggest looming battle for a free agent is between Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood, as the three Victorian heavyweights shape up to fight for the services of Gold Coast forward Tom Lynch.
“(The Hawks) would have the best salary cap position,” Niall said.
“(But) if they are pursuing Rory Sloane or another midfielder they would only have the room for one player, they wouldn’t be able to get Lynch and Sloane if Sloane decides to leave the Crows.”
While that may open the door for the Tigers and Magpies, both clubs have salary cap concerns of their own that need to be sorted before any official offers can be tabled for Lynch.
“Richmond have got a number of players out of contract but they would have to find space,” Niall said.
“That would be a difficult task.”
The Tigers still have 19 players coming out of contract this year, including premiership heroes Shaun Grigg, Nathan Broad, Jacob Townsend and Bachar Houli, along with Jayden Short and Reece Conca who both appear to have forced their way into Richmond’s best 22.
However, the reigning premier’s habit of rotating players through the side will stop many from making big contract demands, as well as the club being able to milk the ‘stay together for less as we chase success’ line.
The Magpies are also feeling the strain with many players putting in career-best seasons just as a whopping 22 of them come out of contract.
“Collingwood are trying to keep De Goey, trying to keep Darcy Moore, trying to keep Elliott,” Niall said.
Key midfielders Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams are up for re-negotiation at the end of next year and both will be expecting to ask for sizable deals.
“So all of those clubs have challenges trying to accommodate Tom Lynch.”