Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera this week became the AFL’s first $2 million player … and could he also be the first $3 million player?

After months of speculation and links to a return to South Australia, Wanganeen-Milera instead recommitted to the Saints for two more seasons on a historic $4 million deal. It ties the superstar to St Kilda until at least the end of 2027.

That coincides with when the Tasmanian Devils are due to enter the AFL as the competition’s 19th side in the 2028 season.

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And Devils football director Alastair Lynch flagged that the club might already be plotting a big-money move for Wanganeen-Milera that would trump his already record deal, with help from a sign on bonus to the expansion club.

“What do you reckon, $3 million?,” Lynch said on SEN Tassie of the Devils’ potential offer to Wanganeen-Milera.

“It’s not my role but if Todd and Derek (Devils list bosses Todd Patterson and Derek Hine) aren’t talking to his manager, I’d be staggered.

“If he wants to wander down and play for the Devils in ‘28 and beyond, we might be able to do something better than $2 million.

“The draft concession rules aren’t out yet but they should be out after the AFL commission meeting in September, but we will have a component of a sign on bonus.

“That will allow the likes of those marquee players to have a nice little sign on bonus to get them over the line. Just to sweeten the deal to come across the Bass Strait.“’

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera this week became the AFL’s first $2 million player (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

The likes of Matt Rowell, Chad Warner and Miles Bergman also signed two-year extensions until 2027 in what stands to be a busy contract year for some huge names.

“It’s interesting … now with Tasmania coming in, players are just signing the two years, so they come out (of contract) at the right time and have really good bargaining power,” Hawthorn legend Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy earlier this year.

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos, contracted until 2029, got tongues wagging earlier this year when he suggested he’d be open to a move to the Devils.

Wanganeen-Milera’s manager, Ben Williams, suspected the looming entry of Tasmania and competition-wide increase in salaries had prompted clubs to pitch more lucrative offers than ever before.

‘I didn’t think we had any chance!’ | 13:45

“I’m not surprised, but what I am surprised at is how the economy’s jumped so quickly,” Williams told SEN.

“So people like ‘Nas now who are around that rumoured mark – let’s say it’s around that mark – marquee players were on a lot less literally a year ago.

“It’s amazing how quickly it’s jumped, and I think people might be thinking about Tasmania (coming in) and TPP going up, numbers about other players being bandied around, and it’s just given clubs more confidence to go, ‘You know what, we rate this player and we’re gonna pay them X amount of dollars’.

“Am I surprised? No, not really, but I’m surprised how quickly it’s gone up.”

Reports out of Perth revealed West Coast had revised its lifetime offer to Harley Reid, with the Eagles more likely to offer a shorter deal similar to Wanganeen-Milera’s that could see Reid join the $2 million club.