Free agent Brandon Ellis will need to sacrifice over $500,000 to stay at Richmond

Richmond premiership player Brandon Ellis will need to sacrifice big money if he wants to stay at the Tigers beyond this season. Rival clubs are circling the free agent.

Brandon Ellis is out of contract at season’s end.

Brandon Ellis will have to sacrifice over half a million dollars over the life of his next contract to remain at the Tigers.

Ellis has put off contract talks until the end of the year and as a restricted free agent turning 26 this week is sure to have suitors in an extremely thin free agency market.

Ellis has played some of the best football of his career this year but again underlined his polarising nature with fans when he should have gone stronger back with the flight.

But with the free agency market bereft of stars beyond Stephen Coniglio, players like Stephen Hill and Ellis are sure to attract offers around $500,000 a year and more.

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Luke Dahlhaus secured a $2 million, four-year offer when he moved from the Bulldogs to Geelong despite a shocking 2018 season, with Ellis likely to ask for a deal as long as four years.

At Richmond he is a strong role player but with the club’s cap demands there is no way he would secure a contract around that level.

They would be more likely to offer him no more than $400,000 a season and would have to make other sacrifices to retain him.

Brandon Ellis is out of contract at season’s end.

Ellis has strong rival interest given his combination of disposal and hard running, and has the third-best kick rating of any wingman this season.

The Tigers have a star-studded list with at least five A-Graders and must find cap space for Shai Bolton, Liam Baker, Dan Butler and Mabior Chol.

Sydney Stack will also sign a deal which has incentives for him to return in excellent shape as he pushes Carlton’s Sam Walsh for the AFL Rising Star award.

The Dogs secured a second-round compensation pick for Dahlhaus, which given their low ladder position ended up as pick 31.

The club will also recontract free agents Bachar Houli and Shane Edwards at the end of the season given both are still in exceptional form.

The Tigers are in line for another deep finish, with rivals circling players including young WA utility Baker.

But this year having moved on depth players including Corey Ellis, Sam Lloyd and Anthony Miles, they have found half a dozen exciting players by blooding them early when injuries hit.