There has been another twist in the race for restricted free agent Zac Bailey’s signature, with star midfielder-forward now looking like he’s set to stay with the Brisbane Lions.
Adelaide were leading race for the premiership hero, with a monster off on the table of $10 million over seven years.
But the Lions have hit back with a counter offer.
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“I believe he’s going to stay at Brisbane,” Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson said.
“I’m close to calling it.”
Wilson said Brisbane are hoping for an answer from Bailey within the fortnight.
“They need to get their ducks in a row, and they’re pretty resigned now to losing (veteran midfielder) Lachie Neale,” she said.
“(Brisbane) increased their offer, as has been reported, to Zac Bailey about a week or two ago.
“Adelaide are offering, I think, $10 million over seven years. The Brisbane deal is almost as long, or as long in length, it was around a $1 million or 1.1, I reckon it’s closer now to 1.2 and I think Zac Bailey is thinking probably the Lions is home for him.”
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The news comes as veteran midfielder Neale met with St Kilda coach Ross Lyon and Saints football boss Lenny Hayes last Friday.
Lyon coached Neale at Fremantle before the four-time All-Australian’s bombshell move to Brisbane ahead of the 2019 season.
The Saints’ chase of Neale comes less than a year after the club unceremoniously moved on captain Jack Steele while he was still under contract until the end of 2027.
Neale is three years older than Steele and both are inside midfielders. Steele has played a crucial part in Melbourne’s rise back up the ladder this season.
Collingwood will also keep their “hat in the ring”, while the dual Brownlow medallist also met with Essendon.
The Magpies were the first Victorian outfit to express interest in Neale, after the prevailing thought was he would move to Western Australia if he left the Lions.
Neale’s estranged wife Jules moved to Perth with the couple’s two children when their marriage broke down late last year.
“I love playing here (Brisbane) so I’ve just got to weigh up success, finance and everything that goes along with playing footy,” Neale said last week after the Geelong game.
Collingwood want to add midfield support for superstar Nick Daicos and keep challenging for premierships, rather than rebuild.
“Until any free agent is signed … we’ve got a strategic plan around looking at who’s available, and we’ll just keep our hat in the ring and see how we go with that,” Magpies coach Craig McRae said of the club’s pursuit of Neale.
McRae didn’t respond when asked how his meeting with Neale went.
Last year, McRae famously spoke about going on “dates” with Jack Silvagni.
Ultimately, Silvagni chose to leave Carlton and move to St Kilda rather than make a controversial switch to the Blues’ arch-enemy.
Neale has one of the most decorated CVs in the AFL across 310 games – 175 for Brisbane and 135 for Fremantle.
The six-time best-and-fairest winner – four at Brisbane and two at Fremantle – is enjoying another stellar season that could have him in contention for a third Brownlow Medal.
– With AAP
