THE Brisbane Lions have tabled a moderate offer for out of contract Victorian key forward Josh Schache, who is weighing up whether to stay or return to his home state.

The Lions are understood to have offered Schache, 19, a base contract of about $350,000, with incentives that would enable him to earn around the $500,000 mark if he played games and performed.

The contract offer was for a short-term of two or three years and was made prior to Schache returning home to Victoria — with the club’s blessing — during Brisbane’s bye last week.

It is understood that the Lions, at this stage, are not prepared to pay Schache the $600,000 or more that club great Jonathan Brown said would be necessary to secure the youngster.

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Industry sources said the offer tabled by the Lions, while substantial for a player who is just 19 and who is a long way from maturity, is well short of what Schache would be expected to command from a Melbourne-based club if he left, given the market for key forwards.

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Drafted at pick no 2 in the 2015 national draft, Schache is on the radar of some Victorian clubs keen to land a young key forward. Richmond, mooted as a potential bidder, has not confirmed to foxfooty.com.au that it is interested in landing the key forward.

Last Sunday, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan told AFL Today that the Lions would be reluctant to play Schache in the seniors if they knew he was leaving. Schache has been playing in the NEAFL, where he will resume this weekend and might be trialled at centre half-back.

Heath Grundy is challenged by Josh Schache. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

“At the end of the day, $600 (thousand) probably gets it done,’’ Brown told Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“If he is so homesick and he definitely doesn’t want to play in Brisbane well, a million bucks probably doesn’t get it done.”

Brown said he was confident the Lions would be ‘’having a crack at keeping him.’’

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