IF YOUNG Brisbane Lions forward Josh Schache announces he wants to leave the club before the end of the season, coach Chris Fagan will "think twice" about whether the Victorian will play in the senior side again.
Schache took leave and returned home to Seymour after playing in the NEAFL a fortnight ago.
The 19-year-old will return to the club on Monday and the coach has been in contact with the key forward.
The No.2 pick in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft is out of contract at the end of the season and Fagan told Fox Footy if Schache decides he wants out, he might struggle to play in the AFL again this year.
"It's an interesting one about the continuation to play. If a guy decides he's going to leave your footy club and he's not going to help you into the future, and you're not in the finals race, you probably have to think twice about investing games into him, as opposed to another young player who's going to stay," Fagan said.
The Lions are on the bottom of the ladder, having lost nine straight matches since beating Gold Coast in round one.
Schache has struggled this season, playing six games for six goals.
Fagan said he would not be part of discussions with Schache's manager David Trotter, instead leaving it to Lions football manager David Noble. The coach was unsure when Schache would make his decision.
"I don't know what the timeframe is on that. I don't know whether the two weeks will escalate things or not," Fagan said.
Schache wanted to play for the Lions in the lead-up to being drafted because his late father Laurence played 29 games for the Brisbane Bears.
Fagan is still confident the Lions would retain Schache.
"I'm very hopeful that he'll stay. I think Brisbane's looked after him incredibly well. I'm not in Josh's mind and body, and he might be incredibly homesick. That's something that's very difficult to stop, if that's what's happening," Fagan said.
"I know that we've done everything as a club to help him and I know he knows that. We'll just see how it goes but I've still got a strong level of optimism that he'll stay with us."
In any case, Fagan expects to see Schache in a much better mood upon his return.
"The break here at home's done him the world of good and hopefully when he comes back tomorrow he's a happier chap than what he was when he came home. It's important to look after the wellbeing of your players and he's been under a lot of pressure," Fagan said.
