Gold Coast Suns confident co-captain Steven May will re-sign

GOLD Coast is closing in on a new deal for out-of-contract co-captain Steven May despite rival interest, while Adelaide’s Jake Lever will begin contract negotiations with the Crows soon.

Steven May is out of contract at season’s end. Picture: Getty

RODNEY Eade says Steven May rivals Alex Rance as the league’s best defender as the Suns close in on a new deal for their co-captain.

The Suns are increasingly confident they will secure May, who was waiting to assess the club’s progress before signing an extension.

They believe they have made significant progress with May behind the scenes and are not far from inking a deal.

If the Suns can lock him away their next massive task is signing free agent Tom Lynch, who comes out of contract next year.

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Eade on Sunday welcomed chief executive Mark Evans’ defence of Gary Ablett, saying he was a victim of his own standards.

He says May has a perfect blend of attack and defence after he played a key role in the club’s win over West Coast.

“He is vital to us, not only the way he plays but his leadership. He would be up there with Rance as one of the best defenders in the competition,’’ he said

Steven May is out of contract at season’s end. Picture: Getty

“With his ability to win one-on-ones, his physical approach and he’s a very good kick and his leadership has been very good for us.”

“There are a lot of conversations and discussions in-house we won’t talk publicly about but we are reasonably confident (his contract talks) will end up in a positive way soon,’’ he told 3AW.

If May re-signs it will be another setback for Victorian clubs keen to lure a key defender, with Jake Lever also likely to stay in Adelaide.

Clubs including Hawthorn and Melbourne are keen to acquire defenders like Lever, the number one intercept marking defender in the competition.

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But his manager Ned Guy said on Sunday Lever was only waiting for the player pay deal to be ticked off before negotiations ramped up.

The Romsey boy has emerged as a key plank in Adelaide’s premiership hopes given his partnership with full back Daniel Talia.

Lever said recently his decision was about family and success rather than money.

Guy said once the pay talks were concluded decisions on a new deal would be ramped up.

Jake Lever is waiting until the new CBA is ticked off before ramping up contract talks with Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

“It was always our strategy to work out what the TPP looks like, then we will sit down with the club,’’ he said.

“Once we see what the collective bargaining agreement looks like, we will look at doing something with the club.”

Adelaide is known as a club which is reluctant to sign contracts that factor in potential TPP rises so holding off is smart business for Lever.

Geelong boy Devon Smith continues to move closer to a contract with the Giants despite his recent knee injury.

Leopold’s Smith has interest from the Cats — they monitor all players from the area — but his management and the Giants aren’t far apart on finances.

North Melbourne on Sunday categorically denied lodging an offer for Port Adelaide’s Jasper Pittard.

It was reported they had offered the free agent $3 million over five seasons but they have only lukewarm interest in the rebounding defender.

Originally published as Gold Coast Suns confident co-captain Steven May will re-sign