AFL contract news 2022: Lachie Neale moves towards cementing long-term deal
Lachie Neale’s future was a big talking point after speculation he would be traded back to Fremantle. And one key factor indicates where his allegiances lie.
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Brisbane believes Lachie Neale will this year return to his Brownlow Medal form of 2020 as he moves towards cementing his long-term future at the club.
Neale’s future was one of footy’s biggest stories last year amid speculation he was keen to return home to Perth along with pregnant wife Jules.
He made clear in his exit interview — despite Fremantle catching wind of the potential move — he was keen to remain at the club to honour a contract that finishes at the end of next year.
Neale’s pre-season has been sublime after a disastrous 2021 that saw him still playing 17 games despite a broken bone in his back and a syndesmosis injury that curtailed his running power.
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One of the Neales’ principal concerns was whether Jules would have support with their new baby – daughter Piper Rose was born in September – if the WA border stayed shut throughout 2022.
But the border will come down on March 3, with Jules currently in quarantine after flying home to see relatives in Western Australia.
The open border will also allow her parents to spend several months a year in Brisbane, with the Lions also pledging to ramp up their support structures around the family.
It is understood the pair have even sold their property in Perth as they look to build a long-term future in Brisbane.
Neale, 28, was frustrated by the reporting of the episode and is declining media interviews for the foreseeable future.
But if he can regain his slashing 2020 form – which saw him poll 31 votes in a truncated 17-game season in 2020 – he would be open to extending his Lions contact later in the season.
The Lions this week locked away spearhead Joe Daniher until 2025, with Charlie Cameron and Harris Andrews also contracted to 2025 and Hugh McCluggage, Zac Bailey, Oscar McInerney to 2024.
Fellow Brisbane Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis said on Sunday a fit Neale was even more important given the tweaks to the Lions midfield with Zac Bailey and Cam Rayner adding speed and firepower.
“Lachie wasn’t at his best last year, he had some unusual injuries but it’s just how clean he is. When he is up and going he is so good below his knees and he gives a chop-out to others to release them into space. Rayner coming back gives them more depth. The ability of the side to get more inside-50s goes through the roof when Neale is on fire because of what he can do with his hands,” he said.
“He doesn’t drop away when he’s getting heavily tagged and that’s the mark of a seasoned performer. If you can take a tag it pretty much takes an opposition player out of the action.
“Brisbane are a powerhouse. They are still in the top four as far as the best teams in the competition.
“To re-sign Joe Daniher shows they are a strong club. At Essendon they couldn’t even get him to come to training but what they are telling us and the AFL world is they are not going away. They are still one of the youngest groups in the competition and they have only won one final out of five but that might even be immaturity. They will be there again.”
Is move west on the cards for premiership Dee?
Melbourne premiership wingman Angus Brayshaw will defer contract talks to focus on powering the Demons towards back-to-back premierships.
The star ballwinner, who was one of the Demons’ best players in last year’s stunning Grand Final win, is certain to attract strong interest from rivals as one of this year’s leading free agents.
The Demons have made it clear they want to re-sign Brayshaw as a key cog in their superstar midfield, alongside brilliant playmakers Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
In particular, coach Simon Goodwin has lauded the No. 3 draft pick for his commitment and selfless defensive actions on the wing after moving out of the engine room several years ago.
But Brayshaw is set to put contract talks to the side for now as Melbourne prepares to make a strong start to its premiership defence with a fit list and stacked midfield.
Rivals will zero in on the Haileybury product if he remains unsigned in the back half of the season as one of the game’s top out-of-contract players this year.
Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey is another who is set to attract St Kilda’s interest, while Hawthorn’s James Sicily, Bulldog Caleb Daniel and Sydney Swan Isaac Heeney should sign bumper extensions.
Clubs believe the Demons face a salary cap crunch in 2022 after new deals for Petracca, Oliver, star captain Max Gawn, Christian Salem and Bayley Fritsch.
Rising Star winner and brilliant young West Australian tall Luke Jackson is also in the frame for a big-money contract extension and is a priority signing for the Demons after an outstanding season.
The Demons were prepared for rivals to circle the club’s talented squad but it is hoped Melbourne’s premiership window, culture and an extension for coach Simon Goodwin will help keep the team together.
Brayshaw, 26, has said he remains happy at the Demons and has not considered a move as Melbourne look to create a premiership dynasty after a patient list build.
Team success and close ties with teammates remain the main drivers – rather than individual accolades – for the man who finished third in the Brownlow Medal with 21 votes in 2018.
But rivals could attempt to try to tempt Brayshaw with a permanent onball role in the belief he could become one of the most prolific ball-winners in the country.
The 187cm jet attended just 26 centre bounces for the season last year – ranked ninth at the club according to Champion Data.
He has long been linked to Fremantle where his brother, Andrew, is a star on the rise under Justin Longmuir at the Dockers.
Angus Brayshaw, who was born in Western Australia before moving to Victoria, also turned down strong interest from North Melbourne in 2018.
In any case, along-term contract offer could appeal to the man who has overcome a string of concussion problems which threatened his career.
In 2018, Brayshaw said he was prepared to “step away from the game” if medicos advised him to on the back of four knocks to the head within 12 months.
But he appears to have overcome those issues and shown great durability in recent seasons, playing 83 matches over the past four years.
Brayshaw was ranked elite for ground ball gets (5.4) and above average for disposals (18.4), contested possessions (6.9), score involvements (4.1) and tackles (2.4) across 25 games last year.
His brilliant set shot goal from close to the boundary after a diving mark back with the flight put the Demons ahead of the Bulldogs with four minutes remaining in the third quarter of the premiership decider.
He said the Grand Final performance was his best game of the season but lauded the whole team for making sacrifices in 2021.
“It’s pretty special,” Brayshaw said after the premiership.
“I have always tried to play my role all year and at times you see a bit more of the ball than others.
“So at times people say I haven’t played as well.
“The ball certainly seemed to be coming on my side of the ground. I just tried, every time the ball came in my area, I just tried to leave it all out there.”
Hawks ramp up contract talks with star
Hawthorn has opened negotiations with star defender James Sicily in a bid to lock away the free agent on a bumper new deal.
The Hawks have begun preliminary discussions about re-signing the man widely considered the club’s most important player heading into the new season.
Sicily, who is coming off a knee reconstruction which wiped out his 2021 season, has not set a time frame on signing a new contract, but has made it clear he is happy at the Hawks.
A new deal at Hawthorn could make him the highest-paid player at the club as one of the best intercepting defenders in the game and a versatile goal kicking option.
Talks are expected to ramp up after Sicily has re-established himself as a top-line backman early this season on the back of a promising pre-season under new coach Sam Mitchell.
The 27-year-old is the club’s priority re-signing after unsuccessfully attempting to off-load some senior stars for a top draft pick last year, including Chad Wingard and Luke Breust to GWS Giants.
Sicily’s name was raised last week as one of Alastair Clarkson’s reported top-two out-of-contract targets in the event the four-time premiership coach returned to the coach’s box next season.
GWS Giants’ speedster Bobby Hill, who unsuccessfully sought a trade to Essendon last year, was the other player’s name which swept clubs last week.
Hawthorn has no reason to believe Sicily wants to walk out on the club considering his relationships, his commitment throughout his rehabilitation and leadership capabilities.
There are some at Hawthorn who view the right-footer as a strong captaincy candidate to take over from Ben McEvoy after the skipper’s second season in charge this year.
Sydney is chasing a prime defender and was linked to West Coast’s Tom Barrass before he inked a new deal out west and Collingwood superstar Darcy Moore.
The 186cm Sicily, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament late in 2020, said his time out of the game helped change his perspective on his footy career.
“It does bring you back to earth a little bit, having an injury like this,” Sicily said.
“I have learned to love training a little bit more because I feel like I need to prove myself again, and I find that a little bit refreshing and I’m enjoying that.
“In the past I would sort of just float through training and just get by with my talent.”
The Western Jet averaged 18 disposals, seven intercept possessions (ranked third in the league) and six marks in shortened games in 2020 before going down with the serious knee injury in Round 12 against West Coast.
His 408m and 2.5 intercept marks a game were ranked elite by Champion Data.
The Hawks re-signed defensive trio Jack Scrimshaw, Denver Grainger-Barras and Changkuoth Jiath last week. Classy youngster Will Day is locked in until the end of 2023.
Trade latest: Will netball partner’s property sway ruck star?
Tim English’s contract talks will drift into the middle of the season as the Western Bulldogs big man seeks to establish himself as one of footy’s dominant young ruckmen.
English’s manager, Andrew McDougall, confirmed to the Herald Sun on Tuesday his client would play out the early stages of the season before considering a new deal for next year and beyond.
“He loves the club and he loves his teammates but he won’t be rushing into an early decision,” McDougall said.
While the 24-year-old Grand Final ruckman is happy at the Western Bulldogs and is keen for premiership success, there are several complicating factors that could see a decision on his deal drift late into season.
West Coast is expected to come hard at the Western Australian English given the Eagles age profile — Nic Naitanui turns 32 in May, Josh Kennedy is in his final year and uncertainty remains about Jack Darling’s future.
English’s partner, Rudi Ellis, has signed a two-year deal with Super Netball team West Coast Fever and has recently bought property in Fremantle.
The Western Bulldogs have made overtures about a new deal but English, who started the 2021 season brilliantly but tailed off after a mid-season concussion, will instead wait until later in the season.
English, who dropped weight last year to be a more mobile ruck-forward, is determined to become the lead Bulldogs ruckman this season.
He missed five games and never quite rediscovered his form in 2021 after a nasty concussion, resulting from friendly fire from housemate Aaron Naughton.
But the 205cm mobile ruckman’s best football is exceptional given his contested marking skills and capacity to win high possession numbers working around the ground.
The Bulldogs have a long list of stars out of contract in 2022 including Jack Macrae, Bailey Dale, Caleb Daniel, Bailey Smith, Josh Dunkley, Jason Johannisen and Toby McLean.
Macrae, Daniel and Smith will join English in wanting a significant contract, with Smith’s barnstorming finals series establishing him as one of footy’s most brilliant and marketable players.
Fremantle has the brilliant Sean Darcy as their long-term ruck prospect and while West Coast has 200cm youngsters Bailey Williams and the versatile Harry Edwards their succession plan is not yet set.
English’s early start to the season was so impressive AFL legend Kevin Bartlett suggested he could become the next Paul Salmon.
But the Dogs lost the midfield ascendancy in the third quarter of the Grand Final as Max Gawn and then Luke Jackson played an exceptional tandem act to lay the platform for their midfield.
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