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Trade talk: The figure that could keep Bailey at the Lions
SEN • July 8th, 2026 9:26 am
Zac Bailey is being tipped to stay at the Brisbane Lions despite a mammoth offer from the Adelaide Crows.
The Crows have offered more than $1.4 million per year for a total of $10 million over seven years for the restricted free agent.
The Lions have since increased their offer to around $1.1 to $1.2 million over the same time frame in a bid to bridge the financial gap so they can hang onto him.
Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson believes the 26-year-old two-time premiership player, who is set to come out of contract at season’s end, could backflip on his desire to leave for more money.
"My belief, if I could call it today, is that Zac Bailey will stay (at Brisbane),” Wilson said on Channel 7’s Agenda Setters on Tuesday night.
“We know trade period will come and in the lead-up there will be shocks. But I feel like some of the situations are reaching their natural conclusions.
“Brisbane increased their offer, as was reported on AFL.com.au in recent days, to Zac Bailey in the last week or two. We know that Adelaide have offered around $10 million over seven years.
“The view was a few months ago that it was money that Zac Bailey couldn’t refuse - I think that’s changed. I think that Brisbane’s renewed offer is going to make the differential on an annual basis no more than $300,000.
“Nothing to sneeze at, I know, but when you weigh up everything… I think he’s rethinking that decision and I think he’ll stay.”
Wilson added: “Brisbane are telling me today (Tuesday) that they’re not sure still what Zac is going to do.
“They want to know in the next fortnight. The management (Tom McConville) have agreed that they’ll have a conversation in a couple of weeks.”
Wilson also had some news on two-time Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale who is being courted by Collingwood, Essendon and St Kilda, and the Crows to a lesser extent.
She is firmly of the belief that the Magpies will win the race with a pitch inspired by the longevity of Scott Pendlebury.
“I think we all believe that Lachie Neale is leaving. I think he’s going to go to Collingwood,”
“We’ve mentioned Essendon, we’ve mentioned St Kilda. Talking to clubs it seems both those clubs believe Neale will go to Collingwood.
“Collingwood have done a good sell to Lachie. He has done everything in footy but he hasn’t played for a big club.
“Collingwood also have Scott Pendlebury who turns 39 so they’ve managed to offer Neale a three-year counteract. But this isn’t just three years.
“Collingwood are saying to Neale, ‘Look what we’ve done for Pendlebury, look at how we’ve extended his career, look at our high performance work, look at the career he still has’.
“This is not necessarily just a three-year deal.”
Neale, 33, is also out of contract at the end of this season as an unrestricted free agent.
