Dual All-Australian Jeremy McGovern has reportedly been offered a five-year deal worth around $4 million.
Arguably the backbone of the Eagles' defense, and potentially the best one-on-one defender in the AFL, losing on average every 1-in-31 contests against his opponents in 2016. Hence deserving of his back-to-back selection in the annual AFL All-Australian squad.
This massive contact, at least in AFL terms isn't typically received by defenders. As this pay grade is typically reserved for midfielders and forwards, featuring monoliths like Dustin Martin and Lance Franklin. However SEN's Garry Lyon maintains that the star defender is worth "every cent."
“I think he’s an influential player, so when you’re going to spend that sort of money who want someone that influences results and I think he’s able to do that," Lyon told SEN.
He claims his multi-dimensional nature is what makes him worth this pay bracket, as he is also able to shift up the ground and play in the forward line if need be.
His statistics really speak for themselves in season 2017.
Ranking number one for contested marks, fourth for overall intercepts, averaging 16.4 disposals per game and 7.7 marks per game, even taking the injured Josh Kennedy's spot in his absence to kick a total of 10 goals.
This was capped off with his most notable performance in the finals series. In the tightly contested Elimination Final against the Power which inevitably was won after the siren, he took his season high 15 marks and ended with 25 disposals.
Perhaps if this contract figure is accurate, it is the correct decision for the club who may want to centre the back line around him. Especially if his 2018 is just as good as his previous two years, completing the McGovern trilogy.
