Collingwood star forward Jamie Elliott has revealed just how close he came to a shock departure from the Magpies this off-season, disclosing to 7 News' Mitch Cleary that there was a "very strong" possibility he would have left Collingwood, had they not bridged the gap between their offer and Gold Coast's.
It was reported that Gold Coast tabled a three-year contract to Elliott following Collingwood's preliminary final exit, which had the 33-year-old turning his head.
However, Elliott, who became the first Magpie to kick 50 goals in a season since Travis Cloke this year, preferred to stay at Collingwood, so when the club upped their offer, he opted to recommit rather than pursue a widely reported interest in a move to the state where he grew up.
"It was very strong [the possibility of leaving Collingwood]," Elliott said.
"At the start of the year I made it pretty clear that I wanted to sign at the club, but in the end we needed to bridge that gap between both parties and come to a deal that we were both happy with.
"There was a gap there. I wouldn't say I was hurt, but there's knowing self worth and what I'm worth as a player.
"I want to earn what I can earn, so there's a lot to it."
Elliott peeled back the curtain on some of the honest discussions he had with Collingwood and the Suns, pointing to the fact that he is now in the twilight years of his AFL journey, and that he needs to consider more than just his footy.
"We eventually got there but in the process, I had to explore my options. That involved Gold Coast and having those conversations," Elliott said.
"As it progressed and got later and later, I was thinking, 'what could that actually look like?' Obviously, I'm not at the start of my career and I'm thinking about the future of my life and not just my footy career.
"The longer I thought about it, the more it became a possibility [moving to Gold Coast]."
With the contract situation now resolved, Elliott is pleased to continue his 219-game career in the black and white stripes.
"I'm grateful to be staying at Collingwood for the next two years," Elliott said.
"I work with Nick Daicos. That explains it in itself.
"We have the best fanbase in the country by far - the crowds that we pull. I love not only the performance aspect but the entertainment of it. To do that in front of 80, 90 thousand people most weeks is a privilege I don't take for granted.
"I'm grateful I have the opportunity for another couple of years. I'm looking forward to creating more memories."
