Brisbane vice-captain Tom Rockliff has told the club he wants to remain a Lion beyond this season and is set to forgo free agency and sign a new deal.
Rockliff will come out of contract at the end of the season and was scheduled to test the waters of free agency, although CEO Greg Swann told SEN radio on Thursday morning that negotiations have begun between the two parties.
"Dom Ambrogio, our list manager, has had some discussions with Tom's management. Tom has indicated that he wants to stay, so I think those talks are happening now," Swann said.
"He's had a super year, Tom, and we think that indications are really positive, so we'll see how that unfolds."
While the 27-year-old is expected to miss the next two weeks with a shoulder injury, the Brisbane vice-captain has enjoyed a brilliant start to 2017, averaging 30.1 disposals a game and a league-high 80 clearances over his eight matches this season.
As well as Rockliff's future, the Lions are still hoping young forward Josh Schache will decide to remain in Queensland beyond this season.
Schache wasย granted leave to return to Victoria to be with his family over the weekend, with his recent poor run of form possibly being hampered by the impending contract situation.
"I think Josh is genuinely still making his mind up," Swann said.
"There's been a few false starts along the way. At one stage earlier this year, we were talking about getting it done and then he just said, 'Look, I want to wait until I start playing a bit better footy.'
"I'm sure there are always plenty of clubs who would like a 200cm key forward. They don't grow on trees, but we certainly haven't given up hope that he'll be staying.ย
"We're still really confident that he'll stay. We certainly haven't been told that he's going to go.
"We're hopeful that can happen in the next few weeks or even within a month. We don't have a timeline on it, it will happen when it happens."ย
