A hopeful rather than confident Carlton coach Michael Voss conceded the Blues’ only case to keep Tom De Koning is his established bonds with the playing group.
De Koning has been one of the most talked about free agents this season amid an offer in the vicinity of $1.7 million per season by St Kilda.
The brilliant big man will celebrate his 100th and potentially final game as a Blue this Thursday night against Essendon.
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If he is to join the Saints, he will stand alongside the recently-signed Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera after he knocked back a return home on Monday.
Voss said he had no indication from De Koning, joking the “three-a-day updates” hadn’t changed, before admitting mateship was the Blues’ only pull for him to stay.
“I was reading the Nasiah comments and however that’s played out behind the scenes I’m not sure but Ross (Lyon) found out five minutes before,” he said.
“Sometimes it can happen as simple as that but we’ve maintained all along it’s about what we’re doing right now and how he turns up for us.
“We’ll let that play out but it shouldn’t overshadow the 100 games he’s played for this club and the contribution he’s made.
“Even in my time he’s evolved himself as a player, he had aspirations to be that permanent ruckman (and) knocked at my door weekly wanting to be that player.
“He was challenged about what was needed to be able to take that mantle, he’s taken all of that on board and has really formed his identity around that role.
“I guess the only case we have is we have a group he’s growing with, it’s still relatively youngish as a midfield group and we’d love for him to be a part of that.”
If De Koning does depart the Blues, he would head to Moorabbin on one of the AFL’s longest contracts.
Voss, a champion player, said he was given some sound advice when he was a young player about contracts and said he’d tried to pass it onto all his players as a coach.
“Shane O’Sullivan, who’s our football manager, he negotiated my first contract and it was $500 for a loss and $1500 for a win,” he recalled with a laugh.
“I didn’t earn a lot of money back in those days, I was still in school so at least I could buy a Cherry Ripe and a Big M at lunchtime and that was about as good as it got.
“Needless to say the situation has changed a lot but I never really had any long contracts, I loved where I was.
“My Dad always gave me the great advice: ‘Look after your football, you’ll never have to worry what you get paid and love where you are and you’ll never have to worry about what you get paid’.
“I reckon it’s been great advice and any advice I ever give any player it’s always first and foremost that.”
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