For better or for worse, AFL list management has shifted towards bigger and longer deals for the league's biggest stars.
Once unheard of, clubs are now prepared to offer players multi-year contracts worth millions of dollars. But it's not without risk.
These huge deals can hold a salary cap ransom for years, and can restrict list management at critical periods for a club's growth.
During last year's trade period, Collingwood were forced into a massive fire-sale of high-end talent after facing such a crisis. The implications of this forced exodus could haunt the Pies for years.
This year, Sydney are facing similar problems after big-money deals have stretched the club's budget thin.
When successful, these massive contracts can attract and retain the best talent in the league.
But when they fail, they can set a club back for years.
As we are now seeing in the AFL, these large contracts can bear a heavy burden for players. When a team is under-performing, the players on the biggest money are the first in the firing line.
The COVID-era has brought forced cuts into the salary-cap and further emphasised the perils of these monster deals.
We take a look at some of the contracts under the most pressure in the league. 👇
3. BRAD HILL
At the end of 2019, St Kilda lured the three-time premiership star to Moorabbin to bolster their high-end talent.
Hill signed a six-year deal reportedly worth around $900,000-per-year, but has so far struggled to reach his best form.
Despite a stronger finish to the 2021 season, Hill was often the poster-boy for the Saints' struggles for not quite delivering on his contract.
Last year, Hill failed to finish in the top ten of the Saints' best-and-fairest and looks unlikely do the same this year. With the contract lasting until 2025, the pressure is mounting on the 28-year-old.
