HE IS the best free agent nobody is talking about, but Brisbane gun Brandon Starcevich isn't rushing into a contract decision.
AFL.com.au understands Starcevich is set to play at least the early part of the season before turning his mind to his contract call.
Brisbane has been proactive in trying to re-sign the defender, putting forward short and long-term contract offers to him, but the 25-year-old has been holding off on getting into his process.
Both West Australian clubs – West Coast and Fremantle – are expected to pursue the premiership backman, but other non-WA clubs will also throw their hat into the ring given his free agency status. Starcevich is expected to qualify as a restricted free agent once the AFL releases its bandings around the start of the season, giving Brisbane the ability to match a deal for him if he was to seek a free agency move to another club.
Cam Rayner, Starcevich and Zac Bailey were part of the Lions' brilliant 2017 draft intake that were keys to their flag success. Brisbane was quick to sign Rayner to a six-year extension last year to take him out of the free agency pool this year, but Starcevich has not taken the same approach. Bailey was already extended through to the end of 2026.
The Lions this week locked in livewire forward Kai Lohmann for two more seasons through to the end of 2027 after his Grand Final heroics last year. Logan Morris, who kicked two goals against the Swans that day, enters the year out of contract as well as Brisbane pushes to lock him in amid Victorian interest.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said this week he was not concerned by Starcevich taking his time.
"I'm very confident he'll stay. He's part of our leadership group, he loves the boys and the boys love him, and he's been here from the start. I think it'll be one of those things that get worked out," Fagan told AFL.com.au's Your Coach series this week.
"We jump all over it when it's not happening now, but he might be thinking in the back of his mind: 'I'm going to have a ripping year and be more valuable by the end of the year and I'll be able to get a better contract'.
"I couldn't blame him for that because there's a fair chance that'll be the case.
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"I'm pretty calm about it. He's not acting like a man that's going to leave. Fingers crossed he loves the club enough, and he's had success, that he'll want to stay."
Starcevich, a product of East Perth, has played 118 games for the Lions and shut down Swans small forward gun Tom Papley in last year's premiership decider, again showing his ability to play on a wide range of forwards. – with Michael Whiting
