CARLTON coach Mick Malthouse has conceded it is out of his control whether Eddie Betts stays with the Blues beyond this season, but says a stall in contract talks is "no skin off our nose".
Betts will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and negotiations for a new deal have dragged on longer than Carlton had hoped.
The club, however, has dismissed reports that the 26-year-old would only re-sign if offered a deal worth $600,000 a season.
Malthouse said he wanted Betts playing alongside small forwards Chris Yarran and Jeff Garlett at Carlton next season, but that was not guaranteed.
"I'd love it to be in our control, but it's not in our control," he told 3AW radio on Tuesday night.
"That's just an election that he and his management group for some reason are prepared to wait.
"That's no skin off our nose, we know what the rules are.
"That's the nature of free agency. We're very aware of it, we're acutely aware of what free agency offers."
Betts kicked 48 goals in 22 games last season to finish second in the Blues' club champion award and earn nomination in the extended All Australian squad.
However, his output has dropped in 2013, kicking 17 goals in 12 games.
Malthouse said a broken jaw in round one and a three-game suspension for rough conduct in round seven had interrupted Betts's season.
"The jaw he got over quickly, but I reckon the hit on [Nathan Wright] from St Kilda upset him because it's not the way he plays," Malthouse said.
"It was almost a cautious approach to the ball from thereon.
"He was really upset that it took place. He had no intention of hurting the player, and I think it's just lingered."
Midfielder Marc Murphy also came under the spotlight following Carlton's loss to Fremantle on Saturday night, winning 13 possessions as Ryan Crowley tagged him out of the contest.
Malthouse said Murphy would continue to be tagged and needed to be "exposed to the heat of the kitchen" to develop.
"The true champions of today, and yesteryear for that matter, have all been able to shake the tagger because of work ethic, because of strength and because of stealth," the coach said.
"I know his work ethic. I've tagged him on the other side when I was coach of Collingwood.
"We looked at Marc and he just used to blow them away because of his work ethic.
"Marc is going to attract a lot of interest because he's being marked as a captain and he's being marked as a good midfield player."
Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter @AFL_Nathan
