Dons hold power in Lions’ Daniher bid

Essendon could force Brisbane to the trade table by matching its $3m five-year contract offer to restricted free agent Joe Daniher.

Restricted free agent Joe Daniher may leave the Bombers for a permanent move to Queensland Picture: Getty Images

Essendon could force Brisbane to the trade table by matching its $3m five-year contract offer to restricted free agent Joe Daniher.

The Bombers said Daniher cited a change in lifestyle for his decision to head north after the big forward embraced Queensland’s climate while living in a hub this year.

It was revealed last month he had reached out to Lions players asking about the club’s medical program after Brisbane successfully reignited the careers of busted pair Grant Birchall (Hawthorn) and Lincoln McCarthy (Geelong).

Watch the 2020 Toyota AFL Finals Series on Kayo with every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Daniher has been camping in central Queensland, but on Wednesday he officially walked out on Essendon for the second time in 12 months.

“We put forward a contract offer to Joe, but he has expressed his strong desire to live away from Melbourne,” list boss Adrian Dodoro said on Wednesday.

Essendon was offered pick No 9 (2019 draft) and No 3 (2020) by Sydney last year, although it was unaware this year’s pick would be so high at the time.

The Bombers refused to trade Daniher, wanting to spend another 12 months trying to talk their father-son gun into re-signing. Club legend James Hird endorsed the decision to hold Daniher to his 2020 contract because of his glistening potential.

It is understood Essendon offered the brilliant goalkicker a four-year contract, which he rejected. The Lions’ offer is understood to be heavily incentivised, with Daniher’s earning capacity to skyrocket if he can get his troublesome body right and play most matches.

Daniher has managed just 15 games since his 2017 All-Australian and best-and-fairest-winning 65-goal season.

The base salary of Brisbane’s offer is expected to be around $650,000.

The AFL confirmed that it would only take into account the guaranteed money, as well as Daniher’s age, when determining Essendon’s compensation pick.

The structure of Brisbane’s offer could drop the compensation from a first-round selection (No 7) to an end-of-first-round selection (No 20).

Essendon has the right to match Brisbane’s offer – because Daniher is a restricted free agent – and force Brisbane to strike a trade, which it will certainly do if it suspects it will only receive No 20.

In 2015 Adelaide and Geelong maturely negotiated a trade for restricted free agent Patrick Dangerfield because the Crows were only slated to receive No 13 as compensation. The Lions currently hold picks No 18 and 19.

The most logical solution would be for Brisbane to ensure its contract offer was fat enough to deliver Essendon pick No 7 as free agency compensation and avoid having to give anything up in a trade.

Herald Sun