Brisbane forward Josh Schache yet to recommit to Lions, on radar of Victorian clubs

VICTORIAN clubs including Richmond are circling key forward Josh Schache, with the Brisbane Lions facing a fight to re-sign their prized teenager.

Josh Schache of the Lions.

VICTORIAN clubs including Richmond are circling key forward Josh Schache, with the Brisbane Lions facing a fight to re-sign their prized teenager.

Schache, 19, is yet to commit to a long-term contract extension at Brisbane, where his late father Laurence played 29 games in 1991-92.

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Carlton is also interested in luring the 2015 No.2 draft pick to the same line-up as Jacob Weitering, the man taken before Schache at No.1.

The Lions are trying to secure the 199cm Seymour product on a deal estimated to be worth an average $600,000 a season.

The club remains in contact with his manager, David Trotter from McDonald Sports, but is eager to clinch a new deal to thwart poaching attempts from Victorian rivals at the end of the season.

Brisbane is confident it will keep its young talent at the club after changing course under new coach Chris Fagan and football manager David Noble.

But Schache also has links with Richmond assistant Justin Leppitsch, who returned to Tigerland late last year after he was sacked as senior coach by the Lions.

The Lions’ on-field progress is expected to be pivotal in No. 2 draft pick’s Schache’s decision on his future.

Brisbane forward Josh Schache is on the radar of Victorian clubs.

But in a sign of the increasingly aggressive player movement market, clubs are already making big-money moves on some of the best young players in the AFL.

With two first-round draft picks to trade at the end of the season, St Kilda is eyeing Greater Western Sydney midfield jet Lachie Whitfield, who was taken No. 1 in the 2012 national draft.

Richmond is on the hunt for an emerging key forward to become the long-term successor to dual Coleman medallist Jack Riewoldt.

The Tigers’ key forward stocks include Riewoldt, 28, Ben Griffiths, 25, injured ruckman Shaun Hampson, 29, and swingman Todd Elton, 23.

But the club is looking to bolster its key forward department after parting ways with lanky tall Liam McBean and new Hawthorn centre half-forward Tyrone Vickery late last year.

Schache booted 16 goals from 17 senior games last season but missed the Round 1 win over Gold Coast at the weekend after hurting his medial ligament at training last month.

He avoided surgery and is expected to press for senior selection in coming weeks.

When asked about his future last year, Schache said he was excited by the talent at the Lions.

“We are all pretty young, but if we stick together, get in the gym and get a bit stronger and work closely together that synergy will definitely become a bit stronger,” Schache said.

But he remains the only top-five talent taken in the 2015 national draft who is yet to sign a contract extension beyond this season.

Jacob Weitering (Carlton), Sydney Rising Star winner Callum Mills and Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) have all recommitted.

“I’m really just enjoying my footy at the moment,” Schache said.

“That will all come into place. I’ll leave that up to my manager.”