Out of contract Collingwood forward Jordan De Goey is the subject of interest from rival clubs, but there is debate over what his price tag should look like.
With reported mutual interest between the Pies star and Carlton, many are wondering how much money a new club should throw at the Collingwood star.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, Tim Watson raised the topic.
โYouโre talking about a figure of say $5 million plus over five years. Now, what do you get? Would you pay that sort of money for somebody whoโs never won a best and fairest?โ Watson asked.
โI love him, I think heโs a game changer. He does things out there that few players can do โ but does he do it often enough? Thereโs been question marks on his off-field behaviour, thereโs a possible court case hanging over his head.
โDo you think that the value is there for a $1 million player?โ
De Goey's season has been stunted by off-field controversy in the form of an indecent assault charge, on top of an injured finger which left him sidelined for two months.
Following Collingwood's finals exit to Geelong on Saturday night, coach Nathan Buckley exclaimed that De Goey's next club would be heavily dependent on money.
Garry Lyon maintains that the forward is not worth over $1 million a year.
โNot $1 million โฆ I wouldnโt pay $1 million for him, no. Someone will pay $800,000,โ Lyon toldย SEN Breakfast.
โWhen he did come back (after the finger injury), he turned a game on its head on his own.
โNot many players can do that.โ
However, Lyon added that the star-power that comes with De Goey could be transformative for sides looking to make the eight.
โYou might have a team full of those โdo the right thing professional preparersโ and be happy finishing 8th and get two of those players for $400,000 each,โ he said.
โOr you go, โIโm going to give the match-winner $800,000 and live with the consequencesโ.
โIโm prepared to live with vagaries that come with the mercurial wild-card talent โ to a point.โ
