AFL 2024: Jhye Clark and Elijah Tsatas begin talks on new contracts as 2022 draft class locks down
Just five players from the 2022 draft first round remain unsigned beyond the end of this year. But that could change soon with a pair in negotiations. Check out who hasn’t signed and why.
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Top-10 picks Jhye Clark and Elijah Tsatas could be the next members of the 2022 draft first round to ink contract extensions, with both in talks on new deals.`
Just five players from the 21 picked in the first round in 2022 are yet to extend on their initial two-year contract, after Hawk Josh Weddle signed up on Wednesday.
After playing every game in his first year with St Kilda, Mattaes Phillipou is surprisingly still without a new deal, while Western Bulldog tall Jedd Busslinger and Sydney’s Jacob Konstanty are also on their initial two-year draftee deal.
Phillipou will be a priority signing for the Saints this season given his difference-making talent as a teen.
Geelong has high expectations of No.8 pick Clark and there is optimism he could ink a new deal before round 1.
He played just one game last year – as a substitute against Richmond in round 9 – before a foot injury cruelled his debut year.
But Clark has impressed throughout pre-season with the Cats and should see more senior football this year.
Tsatas was also hit by injury last year, missing much of the first half of the season with a knee complaint.
He ended up playing four games in the back-end of the year, led by a superb 23 disposal, one goal effort against North Melbourne in round 2.
Both Tsatas and Clark are likely eyeing the standard two-year extension.
Of the 16 players from the 2022 first round to sign new deals, only Gold Coast’s Bailey Humphrey went longer, signing a long deal until the end of 2028.
Early draftees generally take two-year extensions in the hope of landing big deals if they can prove to be budding stars after four seasons in the AFL.
For example, Harry Sheezel could write his own contract at the end of 2026 if he has continued to blossom, having already won a club best-and-fairest in his debut year.
Among the first-round picks from 2022, Busslinger, Konstanty, Melbourne’s Matthew Jefferson, Collingwood’s Ed Allan and GWS Giant Darcy Jones were the only four not to make their AFL debut in 2023.
Busslinger hardly came close to a debut and remains well down the pecking order of a long list of tall options at the Dogs as he develops.
He will enter the season out of contract and will wait to push his case for a debut before any talks.
Similarly, Konstanty is hoping to get past a 2023 marred with injury and break into the Sydney side before focusing on his contract.
Forward Jefferson is seen as a project still at Melbourne but has made strides.
Tall midfielder Allan performed strongly on the wing in Collingwood’s intraclub hitout this week and should play at some point in 2024.
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