$18 million.
That is the number that rival clubs have "indicated" they would pay, over 10 years, to lure Harley Reid out of West Coast.
Reid is currently half a season into his mandatory three-year deal, which was brought in ahead of the 2024 season to ensure clubs have time to develop young stars before leaving.
Think Jason Horne-Francis and North Melbourne. Tanner Bruhn and GWS. The pair, along with others, have departed clubs shortly after they stepped foot in the facilities.
However, a consequence of that is the fact that Reid is being grossly underpaid during his first contract, which is reportedly $130,000 (plus $4,000 per game in 2024).
As a result, the Eagles are negotiating a fourth-year deal, which is in the vicinity of $1.5 million for the 12 months to compensate his first three seasons, says Jon Ralph.
“Harley Reid can accept the biggest deal in football history if he wanted to in three years,” Ralph said on Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle.
“There's a lot of talk about that fourth-year deal ... that has to compensate him for being basically screwed over for those first three years of a mandatory three-year deal.
“I think the expectation is if (the Eagles) are to re-sign him, it would be at $2 million, that's the deal to compensate him.
“Victorian clubs have indicated to his management they would be prepared to go $18 million over 10 years.”
Despite no clear grasp on exactly which club would head down this path, Ralph believes that “Essendon always has the biggest crack".
