Lake, 27, has indicated he wants to stay at Whitten Oval but has attracted plenty of interests from other clubs given his development into one of the best full-backs going around.
Football operations manager James Fantasia said it was unlikely Lake and the club would reach an agreement before the end of the finals, but was confident a deal would still be done.
"We would have liked to have progressed it earlier, but when we sat down, we realised, from where we sit, he has no intentions of moving," he said on Thursday, the day before the Dogs' semi-final clash with the Brisbane Lions.
"We are quite comfortable with saying let's leave it until the end of the season, and really concentrate on this campaign we have before us, and that's what we've done.
"The whole contracting issue is a difficult process when you're going through the middle of the season.
"Some players are very keen to say, can we just leave it until the end and some players are the opposite and they get quite anxious about it and they want you to hurry it along."
Ryan Hargrave last week agreed to a new three-year contract that will see him through until the end of 2012.
"There was no real issue with Ryan. We're really pleased, he's had a fantastic year and he's made the All-Australian squad of 40, and I think he's thoroughly deserved of that," he said.
"It would be nice to see him make the All-Australian side. It's an important one for us, and he's an important player going forward as well, so it's handy to have him."
The Dogs' future is coming together nicely, with nine players including Shaun Higgins, Will Minson, Callan Ward, Tom Williams, Andrejs Everitt, Dylan Addison, Jarrad Grant, Jarrad Boumann and Easton Wood recently extending their contracts.
Coach Rodney Eade has also recently signed a further two-year deal.
