Paul Roos says James Frawley shouldn't be held too firmly to a tongue-in-cheek promise to stay at Melbourne now he's signed on for a third year.
The key position player's future has been a hot potato for the Demons under Roos, with the out-of-contract Frawley understood to be exploring options away from the club.
While retaining the 25-year-old would undoubtedly be a boost for Melbourne, Roos isn't holding Frawley to a pledge made at Luna Park in February.
"People have probably taken James's comment a bit too literally," he said.
"It was more tongue in cheek ... bought him a bit of breathing space, he probably knew I wasn't going to make a decision for a while."
Roos said the club was playing out both scenarios for the club's planning for next year, but he was prepared to wait a little longer for Frawley's answer.
While Frawley's departure would leave them short of talls, his recruitment focus is "a really high-quality class midfielder or midfielders".
"If you look at the better teams, the ability to throw different players in the centre bounces, your high half-forwards are midfielders, often one of your defenders is a midfielder."
That could be as high-profile draftee Jesse Hogan has begun training this week after a long lay-off with a back injury - and may debut this year.
"We even saw in one session what we've missed this year. He was terrific."
On the coaching front, signing on at Melbourne for a third year gives the Demons a chance to be flexible in recruiting Roos' successor.
While chief executive Peter Jackson said the club was holding firm to a plan to recruit a successor and have Roos mentor them - similar to his role at Sydney - Roos said there may now be wiggle room.
"If we found someone we thought suited the club, suited the direction, I think we'd be comfortable making the decision (this season)," Roos said.
"If there was someone we thought `gee, let's have a look at him in two years time' - they're all different options.
"Plan A would definitely be to continue what we've embarked on."
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