Restricted Free Agent Zac Bailey

[The Nostradamus]

coming into his free agent pay day year

I could see clubs offering serious coin and midfield time that he won’t get at lions

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

I cant imagine he leaves unless a club is going say 6 year 10 mill type deal which I think Essendon may do, especially if Merrett leaves eventually

Whether Bailey stays or goes feels very much reliant on what Essendon want to do.... and I think Brisbane know that too

 

[mpal6]

Subscribed. my first post in the first page of 2026 thread of the year !

 

[THE_GUN]

I cant imagine he leaves unless a club is going say 6 year 10 mill type deal which I think Essendon may do, especially if Merrett leaves eventually

Whether Bailey stays or goes feels very much reliant on what Essendon want to do.... and I think Brisbane know that too

Would be crazy to pay that type of coin for Bailey imo
never seen him as that Elite A grader

Career 16 poss and 1 goal a game is a very good player but is he an elite A grader that is worth $1.4-$1.5 mil a year ?

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Would be crazy to pay that type of coin for Bailey imo
never seen him as that Elite A grader

Career 16 poss and 1 goal a game is a very good player but is he an elite A grader that is worth $1.4-$1.5 mil a year ?

I imagine the expectation is that the disposal numbers go up with more consistent midfield time.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Would be crazy to pay that type of coin for Bailey imo
never seen him as that Elite A grader

Career 16 poss and 1 goal a game is a very good player but is he an elite A grader that is worth $1.4-$1.5 mil a year ?

Its like a 400k per yeaer overpay but suspect it will be Tom De Koning version 2.0 with Essendon. It will be Zac Bailey being overpaid or lose out on the salary cap you have withheld

 

[The Nostradamus]

Would be crazy to pay that type of coin for Bailey imo
never seen him as that Elite A grader

Career 16 poss and 1 goal a game is a very good player but is he an elite A grader that is worth $1.4-$1.5 mil a year ?

Hes the perfect type of player to be overpaid compared to what he is on

As he’s not in lions best 5 players

But other teams could pay him like a top player

 

[THE_GUN]

Hes the perfect type of player to be overpaid compared to what he is on

As he’s not in lions best 5 players

But other teams could pay him like a top player

Why do you believe that to be the case

Teams could only have 2-3 players on the list getting that kind of cash maybe 4 at most if they are a young rebuilding side
He would have to be a consistent best player for the team which i dont think he is at his current output

 

[The Nostradamus]

Why do you believe that to be the case

Teams could only have 2-3 players on the list getting that kind of cash maybe 4 at most if they are a young rebuilding side
He would have to be a consistent best player for the team which i dont think he is at his current output

Refer to the rest of my post for reason why

Teams have less quality players so can overpay him more than lions who have more quality players to pay first

 

[rye]

coming into his free agent pay day year

I could see clubs offering serious coin and midfield time that he won’t get at lions

we are about to have a lachie neale sized hole in the midfield and salary cap that im sure will be used to top up bailey's contract.

 

[Elixuh]

coming into his free agent pay day year

I could see clubs offering serious coin and midfield time that he won’t get at lions

The creation of this thread means a contract extension is close by.

Bless you.

 

[The Nostradamus]

The creation of this thread means a contract extension is close by.

Bless you.

lol I reckon this drags on and does not get done soon

 

[THE_GUN]

we are about to have a lachie neale sized hole in the midfield and salary cap that im sure will be used to top up bailey's contract.

That hole appears in 2027 but i would doubt the club would have been factoring in large salary for Neal at 34 years old
but the lions have so many younger kids that will need significant upgrades to their salary

But would be good to see him stay loyal

 

[Elixuh]

lol I reckon this drags on and does not get done soon

Every post you make in this thread brings us closer to a Zac Bailey extension.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Every post you make in this thread brings us closer to a Zac Bailey extension.

Closer to a trade request

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

we are about to have a lachie neale sized hole in the midfield and salary cap that im sure will be used to top up bailey's contract.

You can afford to keep him but you cant afford to match absurdity. If Essendon go TDK like absurd then he will go

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

Bailey is a good player, but in big games he’s a superstar. If he’s going, he needs a club playing finals where he shines the most.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Bailey is a good player, but in big games he’s a superstar. If he’s going, he needs a club playing finals where he shines the most.

Which is well Brisbane. If he leaves, its his new 4 million dollar house that he plans to shine the most in, probably because of the marble flooring

 

[Maboo]

You can afford to keep him but you cant afford to match absurdity. If Essendon go TDK like absurd then he will go

The Bombers might be a bit more palatable to Zac if they have a decent year, the only issue with that is, it's a ****en long shot that the Bombers have a decent year.

 

[Crow till I die]

I won't be shocked if the crows throw a seriously big offer his way and he does have some links to SA

 

[bzparkes]

The Bombers might be a bit more palatable to Zac if they have a decent year, the only issue with that is, it's a ****en long shot that the Bombers have a decent year.

He's already won 2 flags, it's money he'll be chasing in his next contract, just like Ah Chee and Starcevich.

 

[RAPPA]

If he kicked straighter in the GF, he’d also have a Normie to add to the CV and further boost his value. Nonetheless, clubs with the salary cap room will pay him a very healthy figure.

 

[iBeng]

Imagine he leaves and we use the money to land a big fish or a key player to replace him. People will be LIVID.

 

[Hazardinho]

Its like a 400k per yeaer overpay but suspect it will be Tom De Koning version 2.0 with Essendon. It will be Zac Bailey being overpaid or lose out on the salary cap you have withheld

The thing is we’ve just got rid of Dylan Shiels wages and all our top earning players have pretty much had their contracts front ended recently end, so I think we are below the minimum cap for wages, so if Merrett leaves, and we offered Bailey a big pay out, it doesn’t really hinder us.

 

[KanesBurner]

Imagine he leaves and we use the money to land a big fish or a key player to replace him. People will be LIVID.

I doubt people will be to bothered tbh, I think the issue with the Lions is (not that I think it’s really an issue just luck and good management) them being elite and getting stronger every year (including draft) while not losing much.

1 out for 1 in won’t be an issue. And I could see Bailey getting offered a Zac Butters sized contract from Port of Butters doesn’t sign on.