Port Adelaide can't match big-money offers for winger Jared Polec, coach Ken Hinkley says.
Four rival clubs including a cashed-up North Melbourne are understood to be circling Polec, who falls off-contract at the end of the season.
"I don't know whether you get nervous but I think you understand the reality - the reality is, there is still a decision to be made," Hinkley told reporters on Friday.
North, St Kilda, Carlton and Sydney are reportedly pitching to lure the 25-year-old Polec.
Hinkley said North, who have made no secret of their salary-cap room to try and entice players, could offer Polec more money than Port.
"Correct. They can, I don't think there's any doubt about that," he said.
"The decision is to be made by the player and what he wants to do.
"We have seen a couple of times over the last little while that clearly top-end money is not the only solution. We have seen players last year walk away from massive offers to stay at their clubs."
Hinkley said the days of loyalty to one club were at an end.
"We love the thought of loyalty, don't we, we absolutely do," he said.
"We all like the idea of being one-club players.
"It doesn't happen. It's not that rare, but it's not unexpected in today's game, that some of that drifts way. That is what the business is and what we set it up for."
But Hinkley remained confident Port, which signed Polec from Brisbane five years, would retain the 100-gamer, who midweek said his preference was to remain at Alberton.
"Some part of it is negotiation ... maybe you're playing a game of cards where you're holding out a little," Hinkley said.
"Both (Port and Polec) are trying to get what they want.
"I would have thought it's ... somewhere called in the art of negotiating a contract, and that would come in (contract) term and dollar form, I would imagine."
