Carlton ruckman Tom De Koning has reportedly decided to put contract discussions on hold and let his footy do the talking in 2023.
The improving tall had a strong 2022 season where he was forced to carry much of the ruck load for the Blues and is out of contract at the end of next season.
Kane Cornes believes it will be a story to watch, given Carlton has just signed Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow to huge extensions and the interest that will come for De Koning.
“I said during last season, I might have got a bit carried away, that he may be a $1 million player with the attributes that he has got,” Cornes told SEN’s Sportsday.
“He can go forward, he can ruck and is so athletic and I reckon there would be a club out there that if they thought they could get him they would chuck $1 million at him per season. I reckon they would.
“He’s a better forward than Luke Jackson, but he’s not as good a ruck yet.
“We know Carlton isn’t flush with cash. I’ll be interested to see what they can offer him and whether he’s willing to stay because he’ll get less at Carlton than he can get elsewhere.”
Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy backs De Koning’s decision to put off contract talks, saying 2023 could be his big year.
“For two years now I’ve thought he’d be a really good player,” Healy said.
“It’s a bit hard to say with this young bloke. I just think he could be an unbelievable forward-ruck. I think he’s more a forward-ruck than he is a ruck-forward.
“To me, he looks like he could be a superstar so we’ll just wait and see whether someone throws a huge offer at him, or if he wants to play with his brother or who knows what’s going through his mind.
“If you’re his manager, there is no rush. The guy has got A-grade talent. The more you wait the more the money is probably going to go up.
“If you were him, you’d be backing yourself. You’d be saying ‘I might be in the best five players at the club at the halfway mark so let’s go and negotiate then’.”
De Koning played 19 games for the Blues in 2022, averaging 17 hit-outs, 11 disposals and three clearances per game.
The 23-year-old only kicked the four goals, playing mostly in the ruck.