IN-FORM Brisbane Lions ruckman Stefan Martin could be re-signed by the club as soon as next week.
Lions' football operations manager Dean Warren confirmed to AFL.com.au negotiations with Martin's manager Paul Connors were in their final stages.
Martin, 27, has had an incredible career revival over the past 10 weeks since Trent West's season-ending ACL injury gave him an opportunity in the senior team.
In that period he has been a catalyst behind the Lions' 5-5 win-loss run, averaging 22 disposals, four clearances and 30 hit-outs a game.
"We're not too far away," Warren said.
"We're tic-tacking on a few things, but certainly in the next week or so we'll have it finalised."
Martin's seven-season career has yielded just 72 games, with a raft of injuries holding him back.
Not so long ago his time in Brisbane looked all-but over as he sat behind Matthew Leuenberger and West in the pecking order and was overcoming a third hamstring injury in six months.
Upon his recall, even Martin said: "realistically, it is the last chance to prove myself".
He has done more than that, with his combination of athleticism and follow-up work at ground level a major reason behind the Lions' good recent form.
Warren said it was a credit to Martin the way he had performed once given a chance.
Alongside Adelaide's Sam Jacobs, he is the form ruckman of the competition over the second half of the season.
Earlier this week captain Jed Adcock heaped praise on the former Demon.
"We've now had the luxury that he's turned out to be another midfielder," Adcock said.
"He doesn't always win the hit-outs, but his around-the-ground stuff has been enormous.
"For a bloke that half way through the year was probably sitting on the fence and you weren't sure which way it was gong to go, for him to really get an opportunity when Westy went down – it was probably given to him – he's just grabbed it with two hands and ran away with it."
