THE Brisbane Lions issued a “hands off” warning on best-and-fairest ruckman Stefan Martin.
The Courier-Mail reported that the Western Bulldogs are actively pursuing the Victorian but Lions chief executive Greg Swann said the club would hold Martin to his contract, which runs to the end of next season.
"He's contracted and he's going nowhere," Swann told The Courier-Mail.
"He won't be traded under any circumstances and we've told him and he's OK."
Brisbane powerbrokers will play hardball with any contracted player that expresses a desire to leave in the next month and will be happy to reject requests for trades, The Courier-Mail reported.
The Lions' roster will strengthen further with Best and Fairest joint-winner Mitch Robinson poised to complete a remarkable career revival with a new two-year deal with the Lions
Midfielder Robinson feared for how he would provide for his young family when he was thrown on the AFL scrap heap at the end of the 2014 season.
Robinson was delisted by the Blues at the end of 2014 and suitors were thin on the ground until Brisbane came calling with a cut-price two-year contract.
Fresh from claiming a share of the 2015 club champion award last Saturday night, Robinson is in the last throws of contract negotiations with the Lions to extend his tenure at the Gabba until the end of 2018.
In the aftermath of his best-and-fairest win, Robinson thanked Lions CEO, and former Carlton boss, Greg Swann for showing faith in him.
“Twelve months ago, I wasn’t on a list. I was at home wondering if I was ever going to get another job in the AFL,’’ Robinson said.
Big thanks to Swanny. He’s the reason why I’m playing. Everything goes to him.
“I didn’t know (a year ago) if I could provide for them (his partner Emma and son Chance).
“There was about a week there where my manager said there was not much biting … so it (the club champion award) is a bit surreal.’’
Robinson said the calming influence of his growing family was central to his excellent individual campaign in 2015 when he was “trying to prove to the AFL community that I can still play footy’’.
