Dees pair AFL future unresolved

High-profile Melbourne pair Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe are no certainties to continue their AFL careers with the Demons in 2016.

Howe has not signed up for the season ahead and is currently considering his footballing future, while Watts was a notable last-round omission from the Demons’ squad against GWS Giants, a match Melbourne comfortably won to send their season out on a high.

On Tuesday morning, Howe’s agent Ben Niall told Melbourne radio station SEN his high-leaping client “hoped to stay” but still had a way to go to agreeing a deal.

“There’s a little bit of a gap but let’s hope we can close it, we’ve got a bit of time,” he said.

“We’ve had a few good meetings with Melbourne and we’re hoping we can work it through.

“You’ve just got to be where you’re happy, and the grass isn’t always greener is it?”

Niall said other clubs had expressed interest in Howe, 25, but they had yet to submit any formal offers.

Unlike Howe, Watts, 24, has a year to run on his Demons contract but on Monday night, Demons coach Paul Roos said he hadn’t decided whether the No.1 pick from the 2008 national draft would be at the club next year.

Roos told Fox Sports he “couldn’t guarantee” the future of any player on the list as the club prepares an overhaul to help climb the ladder next year.

“We’ve got to make our list better and that’s not designed to scare Jack Watts or anyone on the list,” he said.

“That’s just the way things sit.

“I haven’t had any specific conversations with Jack.”

Melbourne won seven games in 2015 – their best return in four seasons – to finish 13th.

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