AFL contract news: All the latest trade and contract news from across the league

The good news keeps rolling for the prelim bound Brisbane Lions with their co-captain and ‘chief’ Harris Andrews signing a major contract extension this week.

Brisbane co-captain Harris Andrews is one step closer to becoming a Lions Legend after signing a four-year contract extension this week.

The bedrock of Brisbane’s back line from the moment he walked through the doors in 2015, Andrews, 27, was set to become an unrestricted free agent from next season.

But on the eve of a blockbuster preliminary final meeting with Geelong, in which he will surpass club greats Michael Voss and Jason Akermanis for games played as a Brisbane Lion, Andrews has put any speculation about his future to bed.

“I’m so grateful and excited to commit to the club for another few years,” Andrews said.

“I love the people, culture and supporters who all contribute to making my job the best in the world.

Harris Andrews at Brisbane Lions training this week. Picture: Richard Walker

“The Brisbane Lions have nurtured my journey as a person, player and leader for the past 10 years and I couldn’t be more appreciative to extend my time at the club.

“I’m extremely optimistic about this playing group and can’t wait to continue to drive the club towards success.”

The man they call ‘Chief’ would have had his pick of suitors across the AFL had he tested the open market but unsurprisingly has recommitted to the Lions on a new long-term deal that will keep him in maroon, blue and gold to the end of 2029.

Born in Fitzroy and raised in Brisbane’s northern suburbs, it was almost fate that he would one day play for and captain the Lions.

He is a two-time All-Australian (2019, 2020) and won his maiden Merrett-Murray Medal as the club’s best and fairest player in 2023.

A poster child for the success of the Lions Academy, Andrews was taken with the No.61 pick in the 2014 national draft and has played 210 games over 10 seasons.

Voss and Akermanis, who started as Brisbane Bears before the merger with Fitzroy to become the Brisbane Lions, also played 210 games for the club post-merger.

On Saturday, Andrews will move ahead of them to become the club’s ninth-most capped player.

Harris Andrews celebrates the Lions’ unlikely semi-final win with teammate Kai Lohmann. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Assuming he stays healthy throughout his new deal, it would see him bring up 300 games for the Lions and put him on the cusp of Simon Black’s club-record 322 games.

“Harris is everything you want in a person, player and leader which is why we are extremely fortunate to have him at the Lions,” Brisbane football boss Danny Daly said.

“He joined our club as a young graduate from the Lions Academy and he is now the co-captain of the Brisbane Lions, which is pretty special.

“He has worked extremely hard to become one of the best intercepting defenders in the competition and it’s no fluke he has won our Most Professional Player award four times.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to have Harris, his partner Emily and their families staying at the Brisbane Lions for at least another four years.”

DANIHER SET FOR EXTENSION

- Jay Clark

Brisbane Lions’ spearhead Joe Daniher looks set to cash in on his continued excellent form with a contract extension beyond next season.

The hero of Saturday night’s semi-final win who slotted two clutch set shot goals to sink GWS Giants remains one of the best key forwards in the game.

It included a 40m set shot from the boundary to put the Lions in front with three minutes remaining from a spot which has delivered 28 per cent success rate for left footers since 2013.

According to Champion Data, there have been 29 goals from 104 shots from left footers in that position over the past 12 years including 34 behinds and 41 complete misses.

Daniher, 30, is contracted to Brisbane until the end of 2025, but the spearhead is on track to ink an early extension in reward for his brilliant goal kicking after finishing fourth in the Coleman Medal race (56 goals) this year.

Despite some major groin problems in his last two years at Essendon, Daniher has proven to be ultra-reliable at Brisbane and is playing the best football of his career up north in recent years.

The club has faith he will continue to help lead the forward line as well as helping groom young key forward Logan Morris in the early part of his AFL career.

Daniher has booted 202 goals from 95 games at Brisbane since crossing from Essendon in 2021 which netted the Bombers pick nine (Archie Perkins) as free agency compensation.

Brisbane initially signed him to a three-year deal but extended his contract until the end of 2025 after only one season in Brisbane colours.

While that manoeuvre attracted criticism, the league found the club did not break free agency rules and cleared the club of any wrongdoing despite rivals raising their eyebrows.

Daniher has delivered on the deal and shone on the big stage bagging 16 goals across his past five finals including four majors against the Giants on Saturday night.

Daniher was one of Brisbane’s best players in last year’s Grand Final loss and will be a key plank in the Lions’ plot to upset Geelong at the MCG on Saturday.

Daniher has gone goalless in two of his last three games against Geelong including the Round 6 loss to Geelong when he was forced into the ruck.

Originally published as AFL contract news: All the latest trade and contract news from across the league