Carlton defender Jacob Weitering is expected to be on the end of "massive offers" from rival clubs in 2025 as he nears free agency.
Weitering signed a four-year contract with the Blues in 2020 to be secured at Princes Park until the end of the 2025 season, with the contract call seeing the key defender go a term past his opening free agency year.
That decision will see the reigning best and fairest winner fall under the unrestricted free agency band should he remain off-contract by the end of next season, giving keen rival clubs greater access to the 26-year-old given the Blues won't be able to match bids and force a trade.
Carlton has done well to secure their star players for the long haul in recent years, with Charlie Curnow (2029), Harry McKay (2030), Sam Walsh (2026) and Patrick Cripps (2027) inking long-term extensions.
Weitering's situation is expected to garner "offers of $8 million over five years", according to AFL Media's Cal Twomey, who is tipping a host of rivals will press their case to lure the Carlton vice-captain away from the Blues next year should he hold off on recommitting.
"Jacob Weitering is going to get some massive offers next year on the market as an unrestricted free agent," Twomey toldย Gettable.ย
"He signed that longer-term deal to get him to unrestricted free agency, so that means he can get offers from anyone and no club gets to see the other rival offers like they do in a restricted sense if another offer comes through. They can't be matched.
"Clubs pay overs for unrestricted free agents. There is an extra treat in the fact that you can go and get these guys without having to worry about it being matched by the opposition and force a trade.
"For me, clubs are going to come very, very hard for Jacob Weitering. This is a salary cap that has some superstars in it, Sam Walsh is two years away from free agency, Weitering one (year away).
"I'm not saying he'll leave, there is a chance he gets through this decision a little bit earlier. If I'm him, I'm holding off. I'm saying 'let's show me the money' because the money is going to come at a rapid rate.
"At 27 (years of age), he'll get offers of $8 million over five years. I'm not saying he goes, but there is a watch on him and what the offers are going to be."
Weitering has played 164 games in the navy blue since being taken with the first overall pick of the 2015 National Draft.
The 195cm defender is a two-time John Nicholls Medal winner and has been named in the All-Australian squad in each of the past four seasons.
Weitering is among a handful of star players across the competition who are set to come off-contract next year, with GWS defender Sam Taylor, teammate Tom De Koning, Docker Andrew Brayshaw, Cat Jeremy Cameron, Kangaroo Luke Davies-Uniacke and West Coast's Oscar Allen among those facing contract calls over the next 18 months.
The Blues are needing to sort negotiations with Jack Martin, Jordan Boyd, Lachie Fogarty, Elijah Hollands, Matt Owies and others in 2024.
