Demons to move on trio after Gawn deal

MELBOURNE’S summer resigning of star ruckman Max Gawn will allow them to quickly move onto a trio of priority contract extensions.

The Demons are keen to resign the much-loved ruckman with a year on his contract, the 208cm star becoming a restricted agent at the end of 2018.

Melbourne was able to secure Jake Lever on a four-year deal of $750,000 a season and will only pay a small portion of Jack Watts’ salary at the Power. It will leave them some financial wiggle room to sign up 2018 free agents Tom McDonald and Neville Jetta.

McDonald has emerged as one of the most damaging swingmen in the game, waiting until August to sign his most recent contract.

Bunbury-raised Jetta, 27, becomes an unrestricted free agent next year after another exceptional season as a small defender. The Demons will also have Christian Petracca out of contract next year after an exciting 26-goal season.

But the eye-catching 21year-old is likely to wait until the second half of the year to consider a deal given his massive upside as a midfielder.