AS BRISBANE fights to retain in-demand free agent Zac Bailey, coach Chris Fagan is concerned St Kilda's off-season spending spree has changed the landscape around the competition.

The two-time premiership coach said the hefty price tags attached to the signatures of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Tom De Koning were a "danger" to the rest of the League.

After losing Brandon Starcevich to West Coast via free agency last season, the Lions now have their hands full to retain his fellow 2017 draftee this year.

Bailey, who was named as a first-time All-Australian in 2025, has fielded interest from multiple clubs, with the Brisbane tabling a six-year offer to retain its star, as revealed by AFL.com.au.

Fagan was hopeful the 26-year-old would extend his time at the Lions but said the goalposts had shifted when signing players.

"I think he will stay. I suppose everyone's got a moving price, haven't they?" he told AFL.com.au.

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"I'm hoping those numbers we saw last year, via St Kilda, don't become a reality. I saw that as a bit of a danger for the game.

"I think the best players in the competition deserve to be paid the most money and that's not the case at the moment.

"That's not an insult to Nasiah. I think he's going to be a really good player and how far he goes I don't know.

"And 'TDK' has shown a lot of promise for a long time but hasn't probably played up to expectations, and they're getting paid extremely well.

"I'd rather see the better players get all the big money."

Tom De Koning poses during St Kilda's 2026 team photo day at RSEA Park. Picture: AFL Photos

Bailey is a matchwinner that has excelled for years as a dynamic half-forward and also showed late in 2025 that he could influence results when played as an inside midfielder.

"He's a pretty good player Zac Bailey. He should have kicked nine goals in the Grand Final last year," his coach chuckled, referring to the wayward 3.6 he kicked in Brisbane's win over Geelong.

"He loves it here. I know that he does. He enjoys his teammates.

(L-R) Josh Dunkley, Zac Bailey and Cam Rayner celebrate during the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos

"I don't talk to him about it, I just want him to keep enjoying his football and enjoy his year and hopefully he'll make the decision to stay.

"Hopefully we've made this place good enough that he doesn't want to go anywhere."