Brisbane have finally agreed to allow 20-year-old forward Josh Schache to move back home to Victoria.
Despite signing a two-year contract extension during the season, the Lions still believed Schache was interesting in moving back home, and their suspicions were confirmed late last week, when the two parties met.
Brisbane football manager David Noble was in that meeting, and sat down with Schache and his manager Dave Trotter, and offered them the chance to move back home.
“We've had a mature conversation more than anything about Josh's desire to go home, and we had that conversation open and honestly when he re-signed that we thought there'd be a point in time when he would consider going home," Noble told lions.com.au.
“We’ve got on the front foot and had a conversation with Josh and his manager and if things work out for both parties he would be interested.”
Trotter confirmed both parties agreed a trade was the best thing for Schache, and admitted the forward is willing to return to Brisbane should the Lions not be able to facilitate a trade.
"Josh has not walked out and neither is he being pushed out. We had a discussion and agreed if something can work out for both parties then we are open to it. If not, Josh is contracted and will return to Brisbane," Trotter told The Age.
"Josh re-signed earlier in the year because he wanted to do the right thing by Brisbane and to end the speculation around him because there was intense pressure on him at the time and he thought the best thing would be to give it another two years and try to work through it."
Richmond have long been fans of the former number two draft selection, but recently ruled themselves out of the running, although that was before the Lions placed Schache back up for trade.
In his 27 games for the Lions over the past two seasons, Schache has kicked 25 goals, and is averaging four marks per game over his career.
