FREMANTLE will enter talks to extend the contract of coach Justin Longmuir in coming days as clubs gather to ascertain the depths of football department spending for 2022 and beyond.
A meeting with club chief executives and the AFL on Tuesday is expected to provide greater clarity on increases to the soft cap that was heavily slashed for 2021 due to COVID-19.
It will then allow clubs to prepare and make more informed decisions on how they will distribute money among their football departments for upcoming seasons.
Longmuir falls out of contract at the end of 2022, however the Dockers have moved to lock in the 40-year-old after a promising start to his tenure.
Longmuir was initially handed a three-year contract and negotiations to extend his stay have been forecast for several weeks between his agent Colin Young and Dockers chief executive Simon Garlick and head of football Peter Bell.
After a 12th-placed finish in his debut 2020 campaign, Longmuir has taken the Dockers into finals contention this year, sitting 10th with five rounds remaining.
Longmuir, who played 139 games for the Dockers before coaching stints with West Coast and Collingwood, has also impressed with his teaching methods in his first two seasons.
Geelong coach Chris Scott is also set to fall out of contract in 2022 with talks on a fresh deal put on hold until post-season when Steve Hocking replaces Brian Cook as Cats chief executive.
Other coaches set to fall out of contract in 2022 include Adelaide's Matthew Nicks, St Kilda's Brett Ratten, Gold Coast's Stuart Dew, Carlton's David Teague, Greater Western Sydney's Leon Cameron and Melbourne's Simon Goodwin.