Lewis Taylor could leave Brisbane Lions after demanding big money to re-sign

LEWIS Taylor has asked for $500,000 a year from Brisbane, so unless he drops his price the Lions have no alternative than to say goodbye, writes MARK ROBINSON.

Lewis Taylor celebrates a goal against West Coast. Picture: Darren England.

LEWIS Taylor looks set to leave Brisbane at the end of the year.

Out of contract, the Rising Star winner has asked for $500,000 a year from the Lions.

He won’t get it.

So unless he drops his price, the Lions will have no alternative than to say goodbye and good luck.

They’re a mess Brisbane, but they’re not beggars and they’re not going to allow a player to hold them to ransom.

The Lions would be fair if Taylor played a little more fair.

Let’s start at $325,000 to $350,000 and let’s find a comfortable position.

But, no, Taylor’s opening asking price was 500k.

Lewis Taylor celebrates a goal with Mitch Robinson and Ryan Bastinac.

It’s so out of whack the Lions would probably have more respect for Taylor if he simply said he wanted out of the club.

None of this protracted to and fro rubbish and then probably announcing he and the club couldn’t come to terms.

Yes, Gold Coast’s Jaeger O’Meara has a healthy asking price, in the vicinity of $700,000-$750,000 a season, and it’s probably far too steep for a young man who has played 44 games of football.

He won the Rising Star, just as Taylor did, but he’s a potential star O’Meara.

Taylor is a good player, a smart player, but he has stalled.

You know who’s on $500,000 a year? Eddie Betts.

Lewis plays a similar position to the Adelaide matchwinner, probably plays a little higher, but Eddie is a 50-goal-a-year forward.

Lewis wowed the world in his first season, improved in his second year, but has stagnated in the third.

Lewis Taylor won the AFL Rising Star in 2014. Picture: Colleen Petch

He’s rated by Champion Data as average in possessions (16.2), below average in contested possession (4.5), average in goals (1.2) and average in score involvements (5.5), albeit in an ordinary team.

He is rated elite in uncontested possessions (11.9) and kicking efficiency (71 per cent).

Still, worth 500K?

Let’s put it another way.

You’d suspect Lachie Hunter, Luke Dahlhaus, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis, Tom Liberatore and Jackson Macrae would all be earning less than $500,000 next season.

And at Hawthorn? Isaac Smith? Luke Breust? Liam Shiels? Brad Hill? Paul Puopolo? Shaun Burgoyne probably wouldn’t be on more than $600,000.

The Lions have to pay 95 per cent of the salary cap, which is a debate for another day, but that doesn’t give Taylor the right to put his hand out for $500,000 a season.

Actually, he has every right to do whatever he wants. But there was a time not so long ago when players earned respect — from your teammates and your peers — by contributing strongly to the team.

And then the rewards came financially and in a team aspect.

It would appear Taylor wants the big dosh before the big performances. Paying for potential has always been a hazardous situation.

The problems at Brisbane are for all to see.

They have to pay overs to keep players — while not having a salary retention scheme — and they have to pay overs to recruit players. Arguably, too many players are on long-term deals and too many are overpaid.

It is a cycle that has to be broken.

The AFL players are way behind the US in free agency machinations and in salaries, but the events of the past four days in the NBA, headed by Kevin Durant’s free agency move to Golden State on mega dollars, makes you think the money involved in AFL will only get more and more obscene compared to normal society.

We’re all for players getting the mega dollars, but how ‘bout you earn it first.

Originally published as Lewis Taylor could leave Brisbane Lions after demanding big money to re-sign