GWS CEO David Matthews is confident Giants superstar Stephen Coniglio will re-sign with the club.
Coniglio, a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019 season, has been at the centre of rife speculation surrounding his future, with Hawthorn heavily rumoured to be circling the 25-year-old.
But Matthews remains upbeat that Coniglio will decide to stay in Western Sydney.
โWeโre confident on Stephen. I mean, heโs a great young player, a great leader, somebody youโd expect to be a future captain of the club,โ the Giants CEO told SEN's Whateley.
โI expect in the coming months weโll know exactly whatโs happening there, but thereโs no pressure from our point of view.
โHeโs just having a blistering start to the season. He should have been All-Australian last year. Heโs playing great footy, he led us brilliantly in the derby.โ
It comes following the Giants announcing that midfielder Josh Kelly has re-signed with the club, locking the 24-year-old away on a two-year deal.
Matthews believes it could be an influence on Coniglio's decision.
โWe know that without any sort of pressure or deadline on a young man like Stephen Coniglio, we know the consideration for him as it has been for a lot of the players, is, 'who are going to be my teammates into the future and can we hold this list together?', and weโve given every indication that we can do that,โ Matthews said.
โI think Josh Kellyโs announcement today would be part of the puzzle Stephen would be considering for sure.โ
While Matthews conceded that the Giants probably can't match the financial offers that are likely to be offered by other clubs, he believes the club is able to offer alternative incentives that would encourage players to stay.
โI think whatโs happened now is weโve reached a point where the list has matured and the prospect of success and the culture of the club and I think what weโre seeing now is weโve got players knocking back bigger offers," Matthews said.
โThose big offers come in some respects because clubs are trying to essentially fund the opportunity cost or buyout the opportunity that sits in front of some of our players."
โThe size of the of the offer coming from other clubs isnโt something thatโs concerned us as much as whether we can pay our players appropriately and do it in a way that holds the list together for them so theyโve got potential premiership teammates around them.โ
Coniglio has had a blistering start to the season, averaging 29.7 disposals and coming fifthin the AFL Coaches' votes.
