Negotiations for Simon Black to continue at the Brisbane Lions have hit a sour note

SIMON Black's negotiations for a one-year deal at the Brisbane Lions have once again hit a sour note.

SIMON Black will return for Brisbane in 2013 but the negotiations with list manager Rob Kerr for a one-year deal to put him within striking distance of the club's games record have once again hit a sour note.

The deal to see the 2002 Brownlow medallist in Lions colours for a 16th season will get done because coach Michael Voss wants his former triple premiership teammate to play on.

Black has always spoken of his desire to be a Lion for life but for the second time in 12 months feels let down by the approach the Melbourne-based Kerr has taken to contract negotiations.

Last year, fresh from a season where he led the club in disposals and finished second in the best and fairest, Black sought a two-year deal. But Kerr insisted on just one year with several performance benchmarks that would trigger a second year.

The three-time club champion found the trigger clauses insulting and argued to have them removed.

He then set about another quality season in 2012 in which he has won more contested possessions than any other Lion with an average of 11.4 per game, and is also ranked No.1 for score assists.

He also sits third for average disposals (23.7) and clearances (4.5) despite spending less time in the midfield.

Kerr now wants Black to finish his career on a lower base wage with incentives for matches played, meaning Black would have to play close to every game to push his earnings towards the range of what he earned this season.

The 33-year-old needs to play 19 games next year to draw level with Kevin Murray as the games record-holder for both Fitzroy and the Lions, and will require just four more to reach Marcus Ashcroft's record of 318 games for Brisbane Bears and Lions.

But Black and his management team at Velocity Sports feel that given his extended service to the club, he deserves the security of a higher base.

And given the Lions cannot direct the extra money to another player anyway in case Black, who has been incredibly durable throughout his career, does play most weeks, there is a sense the demands are mean spirited.

Manager Peter Blucher did not want to discuss the matter while negotiations were at such a delicate stage but said he was "hopeful" the two parties could find common ground.

Kerr, who met with Blucher in Brisbane yesterday, said he was confident an agreement would be reached soon.

"We want him to play on, so I can't see it being a problem," he said.