Mac Andrew has signed one of the biggest-ever AFL deals and is potentially locked in at the Gold Coast for the next 10 years.
The athletic tall who was already contracted until the end of next year has signed a new six-year deal through until the end of 2030. The new contract, which revises terms for next year, is for more than $1 million a year for the five years after next season.
Mac Andrew has signed what could be one of the biggest deals in AFL history.Credit: Getty Images
But the new mega contract includes triggers for Andrew to extend the contract for a further four years – until the end of 2034. The contract includes provisions for increases with changes to the salary cap, and there are clauses with protections for the Suns in the deal.
The contract is one of the biggest in the AFL, surpassing in contract length the original deal for Lance Franklin from the Swans when he left Hawthorn. The difference was Franklin, whose nine-year contract was worth more than $10 million, was signed when he was 26 years old and took him through until he was 35. Andrew is still only 20.
Andrew is a versatile young tall capable of starring at either end of the ground for the Suns.Credit: Getty Images
Andrew this season quickly became one of the most sought-after young players in the AFL, proving to be a marking target and goal kicker up forward, as well as an intercept marking defender. He took a crucial mark in the dying seconds and calmly kicked a goal after the siren to defeat Essendon in round 22.
The development of the prodigious talent is especially galling for Melbourne, who had priority access to him as part of the Next Generation Academy. However, under short-lived AFL rule changes, the Demons were unable to match a bid on Andrew because it came before pick 40 in the draft. Andrew was selected with pick No.5 in the 2021 national draft.
Those rules have now been changed to give clubs unfettered access to NGA players and no restriction on matching bids. Born in Egypt to South Sudanese parents, Andrew was the first player of South Sudanese origin to be taken in the top five in the draft.
Hawthorn had been strong among a long line of clubs tracking the talented player with an eye to securing him when out of contract at the end of next season.
After Andrew’s rapid development this year, the Suns quickly moved to lock him in long-term.
“I love everything about this place. I’ve made a home for myself up here and have a great support base here,” Andrew said.
“I’m really keen to be a part of the first team that wins a premiership on the Coast. To be the first to do that would be pretty special and something I really want to be a part of.
“I don’t want to take my career for granted – I really want to make the most of it and grab every opportunity with both hands.”
The Suns are making aggressive moves with their list after again missing finals, albeit after winning more games in a season this year than ever before.
Running defenders Daniel Rioli and John Noble, who are both contracted, have asked Richmond and Collingwood respectively for trades to the Suns.
The Suns are also open to trading talented forward Jack Lukosius, who is contracted on more than a million a year for the next two years, in this off season. But the emergence of Andrew, as well as the expected development of local products Jed Walter (pick 3 last year) and Ethan Read (pick 9) has meant the Suns are open to trading Lukosius, who was dropped for form reasons from the senior team late in the season.
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