Lever’s in no hurry to come on home

MELBOURNE clubs trying to lure Victorian Jake Lever back home will be rebuffed despite their big chequebooks and enormous interest.

Clubs including Hawthorn and Melbourne are keen to acquire star young defenders like Lever, the No.1 intercept marking defender in the competition. But his manager Ned Guy said yesterday Lever was waiting for the player pay deal to be ticked off before negotiations ramped up.

The Romsey boy has emerged as a key plank in Adelaide’s premiership hopes, given his partnership with full back Daniel Talia.

Lever said recently his decision was about family and success rather than money.

Guy said once the pay talks were over negotiations on a new deal would be clearer.

“It was always our strategy to work out what the TPP looks like, then we will sit down with the club,’’ he said.

“Once we see what the collective bargaining agreement looks like we will look at doing something with the club.”

Adelaide is known as a club that is reluctant to sign contracts that factor in potential TPP rises, so holding off is smart business for Lever.

“With the CBA not being done, it’s almost like you’re building the house without a budget, so you don’t really know what you’re working with,’’ Lever said. “I’m happy here and hopefully it gets done sooner rather than later.

“A lot of people tend to think blokes sign for money, but at the end of the day, I know for me, it’s a little bit about my family.”