The Tassie Devils are reportedly willing to offer Collingwood forward Beau McCreery a $7m contract to be part of the club’s inaugural list, a figure that has alarmed a pair of AFL greats.
Leading AFL reporter Cal Twomey revealed on Nine’s Footy Classified that McCreery was a key target for the Devils, who are clearly willing to pay him a salary that would put him in the company of the game’s best players.
“Tasmania has made Beau McCreery a serious target for its inaugural list build. My understanding is the Devils would be willing to put an offer of up to seven years to lure him south at a deal worth around $1 million a season,” Twomey told Nine’s Footy Classified.
READ MORE: Concerns for $750k star as details emerge over mystery absence
READ MORE: Brereton’s powerful observation amid sad Hollands saga
READ MORE: Dragons hit list revealed with big money stars in limbo
Beau McCreery of the Magpies in action against Brisbane. via Getty Images
“He’s out of contract at the end of next year. The Devils are prioritising the out of contract and free agent market. He’s going to have to make a decision next year and we’ll see what Collingwood puts forward in terms of trying to keep him.”
McCreery has played 102 games for Collingwood as a pressure-focused forward, who can also inject speed through the midfield.
He played in the club’s 2023 premiership and has kicked 62 career goals.
Coincidentally, he found himself on radio in Victoria the morning after Twomey’s report.
McCreery said he hasn’t heard anything from the Devils and remains fully committed to the Magpies.
Footy Classified is now available as a podcast! Subscribe/follow via Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts
“I don’t know about an offer… I was about to put the phone down and my Mrs tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘What’s the go here?’ I’m still contracted. I love the Pies,” McCreery told Triple M’s Mick in the Morning on Wednesday.
Beau McCreery responds to the Tassie reports alongside Nick Riewoldt. Triple M
“I was just as rattled as you were when you heard it. No, not personally, they haven’t (reached out). Obviously, it’s big news to hear, but I’m still contracted to Collingwood for the next two years… so, my eyes are on the prize there obviously.”
The revelation that the Devils could offer a role player a seven-figure salary raised concern for Essendon great Tim Watson.
Watson has previously stated he feels Tassie may struggle to attract and retain top-end talent, and sees this mammoth offer for McCreery as a “Devils tax”.
“Without doing him a disservice, if we are starting to pay role players in the game a million dollars a year and giving them a seven-million dollar contract, what is that saying about the direction the game’s headed in?” Watson told SEN after hearing the report.
Beau McCreery kicks a goal against Carlton. Getty
Melbourne great Garry Lyon agreed, saying the Devils’ offer was clearly well above what the forward is worth.
“That’s not his real worth, but the exaggerated figure is going to be there to try and get this team up and going. They need to identify who they think they can get because they need to attract players,” Lyon said.
“I think it’s unbelievable overs if in fact it’s true. But it doesn’t concern me.”
The Tassie team already has a bit of a Collingwood flavour in the form of ex-Pies list manager Derek Hine, who is heading up the construction of the inaugural list.
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has also been strongly linked to the head coaching job.
Source link
#Devils #tax #Alarm #reported #offer #Pies
