As the conjecture over Harley Reid's next contract continues to bubble away, one respected voice has a warning for both the budding superstar and the AFL's penchant for long-term deals.
Still just 20 years old and in his second season with West Coast, Reid is being tipped for a monster deal featuring eye-watering numbers in excess of $20 million over 11 years.
It has brought a spotlight on mammoth contracts and the potential risks for AFL clubs if any unforeseen circumstances arise, such as career-ending injuries or a player simply being unhappy at some stage of the contract.
With talk of capping contract lengths in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, Gerard Whateley believes there is obvious risk in these decade-long deals.
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“It can’t be until 2028 anyway, the (next) collective bargaining agreement and how players feel there,” Whateley said on SEN.
“I do think by then, we are going to have a few cautionary tales.
"I shudder at the idea of doing an 11-year contract for Harley Reid.
"As what if after five years, if it doesn’t turn, of misery at West Coast and he wants to get out, and he still has so long to go.
“The downside is tangible."
The Eagles are mired in another wretched season, anchored to the bottom of the ladder with just one win from 22 games.
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Reid, who is being wooed by a number of Victorian clubs, has openly said he has no interest in leaving the Eagles to join another battling side.
If a club like Hawthorn or Geelong managed to come up with the right offer, it might make the Victorian's decision a little easier as he weighs up whether to make a move for the bulk of his career.
He may also have faith in what the Eagles are slowly building. The West Australian club is a sleeping giant of the AFL, with an enormous fanbase, and helping to return the club to glory may be appealing to the 2023 No.1 draft pick.
Whateley added there is plenty to be said for accepting shorter deals and giving yourself more flexibility moving forward.
"If you’re a great player, you’ll be fine doing five (years), then three and then four," he said.
"Rather than doing 11 in one go and throwing yourself into the complete unknown.”