Chris Dawes forced to wait on future as Melbourne consider list position

CHRIS Dawes’ high-priced days at Melbourne could be over with the 28-year-old forward happy to pay for a base contract if the Demons retain him next year.

Chris Dawes’s future at Melbourne is in the air.

CHRIS Dawes’ high-priced days at Melbourne could be over with the 28-year-old forward happy to pay for a base contract if the Demons retain him next year.

The Demons will spend the next few days considering their list position, but might have to wait months for a clearer position on Jesse Hogan’s future.

The 21-year-old is in no hurry to commit to the Demons as he assesses his future after a strong 41-goal year that tailed off with just three goals in the last six weeks.

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He had postponed talks until the end of the season after a media circus over his future, but return home to Perth next week happy to let his contract status rest.

Hogan seems totally unfussed with the furore surrounding his future, even if Demons fans would be resigning to losing him if he went into the 2017 season unsigned.

Dawes has just finished a four-year deal worth $2 million but played only six games this year with ongoing calf and soft-tissue issues.

Jesse Hogan and Chris Dawes at Melbourne training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

He has been told by the Demons they cannot yet offer him a contract, with the Collingwood premiership player set to wait for weeks until being handed a final decision.

The Demons might decide only one of Dawes and fellow forward Cameron Pedersen will stay as backup to Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts and Sam Weideman.

Dawes’ manager Ben Niall said Dawes believed he had quality football in him despite only 50 games and 47 goals in four years at the Demons.

“He wants to stay at Melbourne. We have had really good open conversations with them,’’ he said.

“He is absolutely happy to be on a base contact plus a high performance oriented deal.

“He got his body right in the second half of the year and they wanted to give Weideman a go but we won’t know for a while what the decision is.

Heritier Lumumba’s season was cut short by concussion. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“He is prepared to lead and mentor younger forwards and if he only plays 12-14 games a year and has to play in the twos to prove himself with good footy, he is prepared to do that.”

The Demons are likely to secure Michael Hibberd from Essendon on a four-year deal but without a first-round pick seem unlikely to be hugely active in the trade market.

Heritier Lumumba played only one game after Round 6 after concussion issues, effectively putting an end to his season with several weeks left.

He has been told by experts he should be fit to play football again next year as he goes into the third season of a four-year deal.

But he was not confident enough in his recovery to play late in the year, put onto the club’s long-term injury list.

Retiring coach Paul Roos said he was still confident he could return as a rebounding force for Melbourne.

We’re just hoping that ‘H’ gets right and comes back to pre-season and has a good year next year.”

Originally published as Chris Dawes forced to wait on future as Melbourne consider list position