Fresh off his first All-Australian blazer, Brisbane premiership star Zac Bailey is attracting attention from rival clubs.
Contracted until the end of the 2026 season, Essendon are circling Bailey in a bid to pry him out of the Lions' den.
"Essendon is preparing a massive offer to try and lure Zac Bailey,” as reported by the AFL's Cal Twomey on Gettable.
“My belief is it will be six plus years and around the $1.3 million dollar figure per year.”
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Twomey states such an offer would be the most lucrative contract in Essendon’s history should he sign.
Brisbane will not lie down easily to losing their All-Australian star, but a salary cap squeeze could force their hand.
Oscar Allen has long been linked to the premiers, and in recent weeks Sam Draper has also been discussed as a long-term ruck solution.
As reported earlier in the year, Kane Cornes cannot see a way the Lions could make their salary cap squeeze work.
"Look at it: Harris Andrews, Brandon Starcevich, Jack Payne have long-term deals, Hugh McCluggage has a multi-million-dollar long-term deal, Eric Hipwood has the same,” Cornes said on SEN.
“They’ve just signed Cam Rayner, they’ve got Lachie Neale on huge money, they’ve got Josh Dunkley on big money, they’re going to have to pay Will Ashcroft when his first contract expires."
"They’ve got Logan Morris who is going to need a pay increase, they’ve got Oscar McInerney who is one of the best ruckmen in the game, and they’ve got younger players coming through in Jaspa Fletcher and Levi Ashcroft."
“It would absolutely blow my mind that Brisbane could even consider paying Oscar Allen $1.2 to 1.3 million, which he’s going to get, and fit him into the salary cap.”
But Essendon will presumably face fierce competition in the race for Bailey’s signature.
Both the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide have been linked to the Brisbane star due to his South Australian ties.
Despite growing up in Darwin, Bailey moved to Adelaide in 2016 to attend boarding school at Prince Alfred College, he was then drafted out of Norwood in the SANFL.