An out-of-contract Brisbane Lion is facing an uncertain footballing future as his club prepares for a critical finals campaign without him.
Booming left-footer Daniel Rich has fallen out of favour with coach Chris Fagan and his selection committee this season, having played just seven AFL games this year.
Rich hasn't played a senior game since standing himself down due to poor form following Round 13's loss to Hawthorn; watching from the sidelines as the Lions stamped a top-four finals ticket.
The 33-year-old, who also sustained a hamstring injury while partaking in VFL action, is without a contract beyond this season, holding an unrestricted-free-agent status heading into the off-season.
"I don't want to be a distraction," Rich said on Thursday. "There's still plenty of time (to get back in the team), the finals are a new season and I want to ... be ready if I'm needed.
"I'm just a small piece of our footy club and I don't want to be any distraction when it comes to that side of things.
"I love my teammates and I love the club, so I'd be the happiest man in the world if they were to win the Grand Final and I wasn't out there; it wouldn't change anything."
On Friday, Fagan claimed he'd read Rich's comments from the day before, stating he's a "great person" before acknowledging his current 'battle'.
"I read the article from his interview yesterday and all I could think of is what a great person he is and how selfless he is and how much he cares about the team," Fagan said on Friday morning.
"He's been one of the Brisbane Lions' great players and it's a real pity for him that right now he can't do what he wants to do and he's facing a battle, but he's still inspirational to all of us and he will be throughout the finals series.
"If we get a fair way through and he's fit to go and we need someone in his position, he'll get an opportunity. I haven't got a crystal ball, so it's really hard to say."
While Fagan left the door open to a potential Rich return during this year's finals campaign, he also said there are "not many fairytales going around" in life.
"Daniel has seen the bad times and has been experiencing some of the good times the last few years, so of course it's really hard when you see that," Fagan continued.
"You want it for them because you know they deserve it. That's not life, unfortunately. There's not many fairytales going around.
"He's a highly decorated, loved personality at our footy club and he's going to go to the end trying to get back into the team and you can only admire that."
Youngster Harry Sharp penned a two-year extension at the Lions on Thursday, meaning there's one less retention concern for Brisbane.
However, there are still plenty of contract questions in Woolloongabba, with Rich, skipper Dayne Zorko, Kai Lohmann, and Marcus Adams among the notable Lions who remain without contracts at the club for next season.
Brisbane hosts St Kilda this Saturday afternoon in its final home-and-away fixture before a qualifying final bout in two weeks' time.
