Former Essendon skipper Tim Watson has questioned the reported $7 million dollar contract offered to Jeremy McGovern from a Victorian club, believing the West Coast defender is not yet worth a deal of that size.

SEN newshound Sam Edmund broke the story on SEN Breakfast today, stating that McGovern had been offered a six year deal worth nearly $1.2 million a season from a Melbourne-based club – a contract that would make him one of the top earning players in the game.

Edmund says that West Coast’s alleged initial offer of $800,000 a season over four years was considered well under the market valuation of the dual All-Australian centre half-back, with a rival club already putting forward an deal worth over double the Eagles’ offer to lure him east.

Watson however doubts whether McGovern is worth such a massive contract, believing his output and impact on a game falls well short of four-time All-Australian backman Alex Rance.

“($1.2 million a year) is for game changing, match winning-type players,” the Bombers champion said on SEN Breakfast.

“I don’t think he is (a game changer). In my mind he is not at that point yet.

“He is not an Alex Rance player. At that money, that is who you are comparing him to. Alex Rance wouldn’t be getting $1.2 million a year.”

Garry Lyon disagrees with Watson, believing McGovern’s reported offer is only the first of many big money deals that will be made over the next few years with the bolstered money available to clubs as part of the recent collective bargaining agreement.

“He’s in your Jake Lever mould. He is a player they are able to have as a more offensive defender that doesn’t necessarily have to play one on one, but he does it so well that he gets away with it,” he said.

“$1.2 million is a lot of money, but even $800,000 for Toby Greene, I think that’s nearly unders, with the way the salary cap is going and the average wage and where that sits.

“You can’t compare teams. If Dustin Martin wasn’t there (at Richmond), Alex Rance probably does get $1.2 million. Who’s getting that money at West Coast, Josh Kennedy?”

“He is a disruptor because he is the number one intercept marker in the competition.

“I think (the offer) is overs, but to move someone from the West who is a Western Australian to Victoria, you are going to have to pay that sort of wedge.”

Listen to the best of today's SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson below: