MELBOURNE forward Jesse Hogan is smart to put his contract negotiations on hold, reigning Demons best and fairest Bernie Vince says.
Hogan is contracted until the end of 2017. The Dees had sought to extend his contract but he has put off negotiations until the end of this season.
"He's contracted for next year still, so I think he'd be silly to sign now. He loves it around the place," Vince said.
"(He) might be able to squeeze a bit more money out of the club if he has another good year, so I can see why he's done it.
"Hopefully he doesn't take any money off me though. I haven't got much left at the moment."
The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires on October 31 this year. The salary cap is set to go up next year, with the $2.5 billion television deal bringing more money into the game and boosting player earnings.
Fremantle keenly pursued the West Australian before he signed his most recent contract with Melbourne in mid-2014, and is expected to target him again at the end of 2017.
Hogan, who was yet to make his AFL debut when he extended his contract, kicked 44 goals from 20 games in 2015 to win the NAB AFL Rising Star award.
He will be rested for Melbourne's NAB Challenge clash with the Western Bulldogs on Sunday in Craigieburn.
Vince wasn't afraid to mention September action as a possibility for the Dees.
"We're not shying away from that (time for the Demons to get results). From last year to this year has been a massive step up," he said.
Melbourne won two games in 2013, four in 2014 (Vince's first season at the Dees) and seven last year.
"If we can step up just as much as we did the year before – which I think we're in front of that – you only need to win a few more… and we'll be knocking on the finals door."
The Demons haven't made the finals since 2006.
The 30-year-old will play his first pre-season game against the Dogs. Skipper Nathan Jones will also play for the first time in 2016.
Inconsistency plagued Melbourne last year, with the Dees going 2-4 against teams below them on the ladder last year.
On the other hand, they beat finalists Richmond and the Western Bulldogs, as well as beating Geelong at Simonds Stadium for the first time since 2005.
Vince said an improvement in training analysis could help solve their up-and-down form.
"We have three main sessions a week all through the pre-season. We'd review the training sessions… more than I ever have in my footy career. It was almost like performance day training.
"That's where I think the standards have lifted and the coaches have lifted the group."
Former co-captain Jack Trengove is back in full training. He is a family friend of Vince, with both originally from South Australia. The pair has only played together for the Dees in the first two rounds of 2014.
"He's been back for a couple of weeks. Because he's missed so much they want to give him a really solid five or six week training block," Vince said.
