Brisbane midfielder-forward Zac Bailey has achieved pretty much everything you could want when joining a club as a draftee.
He has won back-to-back premierships, played 173 games, and last season he earned his maiden All-Australian blazer.
So as Bailey approaches free agency, is he thinking he has achieved everything he set out to at the Lions and is now ready to head back to family in South Australia? That's what the 26-year-old says he is in the midst of figuring out.
"Of course, I want to stay (at the Lions)," Bailey told AFL Media. "I love this club.
"When it comes to contract years, there are a lot of factors you have to weigh up. I'm at that stage at the moment, just weighing things up. I won't rush into anything, but I'm loving my time at the club so far.
"Firstly, it's about just being happy. Coming into the club, especially at the Lions, it's such a good culture. You want to be able to go into work and enjoy every day and enjoy the work that you do. That's probably top of the list for me. Then there's stuff around family and being close to them. There's just a lot of factors to weigh up.
"I've been all over the place, but I love it up in Brisbane. It's hard to say, I think NT will always be home. But (Brisbane) is my second home now."
It's been reported that Bailey has been offered a $10 million seven-year deal by Adelaide, while Brisbane has offered a six-year deal on less money. Port Adelaide is also interested.
The Lions have historically held firm on paying overs for their star players, but coach Chris Fagan would hate to watch him leave.
"He's a fantastic player. He started his career with us. He's developed with us. And we like to think he can play his whole career with us," Fagan said on SEN last month.
"People are motivated by different things, and sometimes the offers are too good to refuse. We'll just see what happens."
Bailey grew up in Darwin in the Northern Territory, but moved to Adelaide to attend boarding school at 15 and has family in South Australia.
The 181cm dynamo has continued his form in 2026, averaging 20 disposals and two goals a game across seven matches.
Bailey has kicked 199 goals from 173 games since being taken with pick 15 in the 2017 National Draft.
