A heavily front-ended contract, plus some help from an AFL Players’ Association marketing fund, could see star ruck Tom De Koning become the AFL’s first $2 million player.
And De Koning’s decision to wait for his free agency year is an example of why star midfielder Zak Butters shouldn’t leave Port Adelaide at season’s end, according to Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph.
One of the AFL’s most sought-after free agents this year, Blues ruck De Koning is weighing up his AFL future amid significant interest from rival clubs – most notably St Kilda – as well as a contract offer from Carlton.
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The Saints’ lucrative long-term offer for De Koning, 25, is well documented, with their $12 million price tag bigger than any the league has seen before, should he sign on.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle on Tuesday night, Ralph explained how De Koning could end up being the first AFL player to pocket $2 million in one season.
“What St Kilda has done with a lot of their big contracts is they’ve front-ended them,” Ralph told Midweek Tackle. “So (club president) Andrew Bassat has previously said: ‘It’s saving us money for later years when we’re in the premiership mode.’
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“What is ‘front-ending’? Ben McKay was on $1.4 million (at Essendon) last year, the final year of his deal is about $400,000. It actually allows them (the Bombers) more room.
“St Kilda and TDK’s management haven’t specifically spoken about that one yet, but it would be a no-brainer to give him $200,000 or $300,000 or $400,000 more in his first year.
“Now you combine that with the AFLPA’s new marketing fund – it’s $7 million for up to 80 players per year. Those players, the stars of the comp, will be earning $100,000 to $200,000 more per year by trying to grow the game.
“So it might not be Harley Reid, it might not be Sam Darcy – it might be TDK next year. It’s not a philosophical thing: TDK could be earning $2 million in 2026.”
Ralph added if the Saints were able to land De Koning this year, it could lead to a “snowball effect” where they’d be more likely to acquire other established talent from rival clubs.
The interest in De Koning comes as Port Adelaide prepares for Butters to draw huge rival offers.
Out of contact at the end of 2026, Butters is set to be one of the most sought-after stars in next year’s free agency class, with Victorian clubs set to throw big-money deals at the gun midfielder to try to lure him back to his home state.
A Footy Classified report on Monday night suggested four Victorian clubs were “aware that his (Butters’) head may be turned not next year during free agency, but at the end of this season”.
But Ralph said it “strategically makes sense” for Butters to hold off making a call on his future until next year.
“Don’t come to a Victorian club this year. Get to free agency next year and then you assess your options and you get filthy rich either way,” Ralph said.
“The difference between deals for contracted players and free agents is off the charts. It’s why Matt Rowell and Chad Warner would be really smart too: You take the deal (to stay) to free agency, again you get rich either way.
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“Look at the history. Dan McStay and Karl Amon three years ago – probably $500,000 players – they get $600,000 or $650,000. And then Jade Gresham and Ben McKay, they probably get a 30 per cent mark-up.
“Then last year, troppo. What’s Harry Perryman, a $600,000 a year player? And he gets $900,000 – a 50 per cent mark-up. And this year off the charts: Luke Davies-Uniacke, TDK – even if they’re $1.2 million players, they’re getting $1.7 million offers, 40 per cent to 70 per cent mark-ups.
“So if you’re Butters, you stay and then you get an extraordinary deal – and if you’re Port Adelaide, you don’t let him go until next year. Even if he was to go as a free agent, you do what Adelaide did with Patty Dangerfield, match the deal and you still potentially get two first-round draft picks and eight great years of service out of Zak Butters.”
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