THE BRISBANE Lions are yet to open contract talks with prospective free agent Matthew Leuenberger, with both parties content to wait and see if the injury-prone ruckman can return to full fitness and form in 2015.
However, the Lions have opened talks with their only other 2015 free agent Jed Adcock, recently putting a contract in front of the former skipper.
Leuenberger played just five games last year because of knee, Achilles tendon and toe injuries.
Unfortunately, injury has been a constant theme in the West Australian's career.
Since the Lions drafted him with the No.4 pick in the 2006 national draft, Leuenberger has played 94 of a possible 178 games.
At his best, the 203cm tall is one of the most talented and mobile ruckmen in the competition, and has finished in the top 10 of the Lions' best and fairest award in each of the three seasons he has played 20 or more games (ninth in 2010, sixth in 2011 and 2013).
The 26-year-old is set to enter 2015 injury-free and in good shape after completing a modified pre-season training program, with the Lions hopeful he and fellow tall Stefan Martin can form one of the best ruck combinations in the AFL.
At the end of this season, Leuenberger is set to become a free agent, most likely an unrestricted free agent.
But the Lions are not about to rush into a new deal.
"We haven't started negotiations yet," Lions talent acquisition and retention manager Peter Schwab told AFL.com.au on Wednesday.
Asked whether both parties would prefer to focus on ensuring Leuenberger made a smooth return to the field in 2015, Schwab said: "Absolutely, I think that's fair to say, that's a good assessment of it."
Schwab said the Lions were waiting to hear back from Adcock on their new contract offer.
"We're certainly talking to Jed's management so we'd hopefully get something done this year," Schwab said.
"He's got an offer so that's a good start."
Having qualified as a restricted free agent in 2012, Adcock is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
The 29-year-old served as Lions co-skipper alongside Jonathan Brown in 2013 before holding the top job on his own the following season.
The Lions announced in late January that Tom Rockliff would assume the captaincy in 2015, with Adcock set to become a mentor of the club's leadership group.
Recruited from North Ballarat with pick No.33 in the 2003 national draft, Adcock is the longest-serving current Lion with 185 games.
He finished second in the Lions' 2007 best and fairest award, when he was an All Australian nominee, and third in 2005.
