A breakthrough in the AFL's long-running pay stoush is imminent, paving the way for several off-contract stars to sign new deals.
After months of occasionally testy negotiations, the league and the players' union are close to sealing a new collective bargaining agreement.
AFL Players Association chief Paul Marsh held meetings with players from the Adelaide-based clubs on Tuesday, with Crows key defender Jake Lever saying he expected the new deal to be endorsed in coming weeks.
"I've got full faith in the AFLPA. They've been doing a fantastic job over the last year and hopefully it's done soon," Lever told FiveAA radio on Tuesday.
"Rory Sloane is on the board, and then Tom Lynch and Andy Otten are our advocates. They'll obviously talk to us, probably within the next week, and then that's when we'll vote."
With the new CBA set to substantially increase player salaries, Lever is one of several off-contract players - along with Western Bulldogs livewire Jason Johannisen and Essendon spearhead Joe Daniher - to have put contract negotiations on hold.
The 21-year-old is certain to have attracted interest from rival clubs but appears likely to stay with the unbeaten Crows.
"If it gets done within the next fortnight or week, I'll obviously speak to my manager," Lever said.
"To be honest, we haven't spoke a whole lot over the last two months about it just because we were waiting for the CBA, but we'll sit down and talk and take things to the club."
It's understood the deal could include a 20 per cent increase in the salary cap this season followed by smaller increases over the following five years.
"It's getting there. I think it's well-known that our CEO's out physically meeting with the players from all different playing groups," AFLPA development manager Brett Johnson told SEN radio on Tuesday.
"There's been good progress made recently, and hopefully we get a really good outcome soon."
