GWS star Josh Kelly triggered an eight-year contract extension on Tuesday worth a reported $8 million, tying him to the club until the end of 2029.
After hearing the news of Kelly’s mega deal with the Giants, AFL legend Leigh Matthews doesn’t think the 26-year-old is worth $1 million a season.
Kelly, an All-Australian and Kevin Sheedy Medallist in 2017, averages 24 disposals and 3.3 clearances across his 151-game AFL career.
The classy left footer was strongly linked to North Melbourne as he weighed up a return home to Victoria.
“I wouldn’t have thought Josh Kelly is a $1 million player,” Matthews told Sportsday.
“The fact is, would any other club in the competition have taken over that contract off the Giants?
“Josh Kelly, I suspect, was more valuable a couple of years ago than he is now.
“He’s not a $1 million player in a sense that you’d name a lot of players who might be $1 million players before you’d get to Josh.
“He might be in the 20s – but it’s a gigantic contract.”
Matthews also understands the challenges expansion clubs like the Giants face in retaining their best players.
“But it says something – and I’ve spoken about this a couple of times – the Giants definitely and one day maybe the Suns, retaining your talent without blowing the salary cap is virtually impossible,” he said.
“Because players in those two markets have to get 20 to 30 per cent more than they probably are at other clubs to retain the talent.
“It’s a problem that those two clubs have got and when will it ever change?”
Selected with pick No.2 in the 2013 draft, Kelly is ranked in the top five at the Giants for disposals, contested possessions, tackles, inside 50s, clearances and score involvements in 2021.