AFL season 2016: Brisbane Lions at a contract stalemate with Lewis Taylor
The Brisbane Lions and midfielder Lewis Taylor are at an impasse over a new contract, but the club remains confident of securing Sam Mayes.
In a wretched year for the Lions, who have just one win after 12 rounds, pressure continues to rise on coach Justin Leppitsch.
Lewis Taylor will have suitors from Victoria.Credit:Getty Images
The go-home factor once again looms as an issue for players, and Taylor, the 2014 Rising Star, will have suitors from Victoria should a three-year deal with the Lions not be reached.
It's understood the speedy midfielder wants as much as $500,000 a season, and the Lions have baulked at this.
Taylor, though, has not told the Lions he wants to leave, ensuring the Lions remain firmly in the picture.
He averaged 21 disposals a game last year but that has dipped to 16 this year in a struggling midfield missing star Dayne Beams. Taylor did not miss a match last season and emerged as a fine linkman.
Mayes, 22, put contract discussions on hold on the eve of the season, declaring he wanted to focus on his form before contemplating his next move.
The Lions had feared he had made up his mind to leave and possibly return home to South Australia but that has not been the case, and the two parties could agree to a new contract during the bye weekend. The Lions face the West Coast Eagles and Richmond before having their week off.
Mayes, the No. 8 pick in the 2012 national draft, has played 10 matches this season, averaging 16 disposals on a wing and across half-back.
Having lost emerging talent Jack Crisp, James Aish, Elliot Yeo, Jared Polec, Sam Docherty and Billy Longer in recent seasons, the Lions have expressed concern players are seeking inflated contracts to remain.
This is one reason club chief executive Greg Swann recently expressed his support for the retention allowance to return, for the go-home factor – particularly when a club is struggling – looms large.
"With all the northern clubs primarily, when you draft a Victorian, there's 10 Victorian clubs that are always constantly trying to get them to come back and in the end you're always playing a premium to keep them," he said.
"I understand why there was a retention allowance back in the 2000s because it's just a fact, we pay extra to keep players in the northern states."