North Melbourne reportedly offers Josh Kelly huge nine-year deal

THE Kangaroos have reportedly offered GWS player Josh Kelly a mega deal reminiscent of Lance Franklin’s huge contract with Sydney.

Josh Kelly is highly sought after.

NORTH Melbourne has made a huge offer to GWS Giants star Josh kelly in an effort to lure the midfielder to Arden Street.

The Kangaroos have reportedly tabled a multi-million dollar nine-year deal to the 22-year-old’s management in a move that resembles the Sydney Swans’ play to recruit Lance Franklin, according to Fox Sports.

Franklin joined the Swans in 2014 on a nine-year deal worth $10 million and the Roos are now hoping to pull off a similar coup with Kelly.

Ex-St Kilda CEO Brian Waldron said the offer would be difficult to refuse.

“North Melbourne have offered Josh Kelly $9 million over nine years,” Waldron said on SEN radio on Tuesday.

“On the table. He has to take it … I also heard they offered Dustin Martin well over a million dollars a year for five years.

“Maybe a million a year in eight years’ time isn’t going to be much, but clearly it’s a huge, huge investment.”

While Waldron speculated the deal was worth $9 million, that figure remains unconfirmed.

Will Josh Kelly be playing alongside Jack Ziebell next year?

Kelly’s father Phil played 61 VFL games for North Melbourne in the 1980s and the young gun grew up in the Victorian capital supporting the Kangaroos.

Since debuting for GWS in 2014 Kelly has played 62 matches for the club and enjoyed his best season last year, averaging more than 23 disposals a game. The number two draft pick in 2013 has started 2017 in brilliant form, kicking three goals against the Gold Coast Suns last weekend while racking up 54 possessions across the opening two rounds.

After shedding veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie and Nick Dal Santo from its list at the end of 2016, North Melbourne is looking to the future.

Kelly has proven he’s well and truly found his feet at AFL level and his departure would be a blow to a Giants side looking to win its maiden premiership after losing to the Western Bulldogs in last year’s preliminary final.

If Kelly did accept the offer, it would bring back memories of Tom Boyd’s decision to leave western Sydney to join the Bulldogs. Boyd joined the Dogs in 2015 on a seven-year deal reportedly worth close to $1 million a season.

Originally published as North Melbourne reportedly offers Josh Kelly huge nine-year deal