GWS has made an official move to retain the services of in-demand free agent Harrison Himmelberg, extending a multi-year contract to the swingman's management.
Himmelberg has been a Giant since being drafted with the 16th pick of the 2015 AFL Draft and has featured notably at both ends of the ground for the AFL's youngest club.
Now in his eighth season in Sydney's West, the uncontracted tall has met the markers for free agency, with several rivals circling for his signature.
Yet, with Giants list boss Jason McCartney stating on Sunday that the club had put a five-year deal to Himmelberg's manager, fellow former Roo David Trotter, the marker for the 27-year-old's services has been set.
โThat is correct, we have been in constant dialogue with his management. We knew it would be a discussion point at the mid-point of the year and so we have put something in front of him,โ McCartney told 3AW listeners ahead of the Giants' clash against North Melbourne in Hobart.
โHarry had an awareness from my conversations with him he would be looking at a long-term deal and we would be looking after him remuneration-wise. He has got that in writing now.
โI am (confident) because the difference is he's been at the club for eight years, so everything is new. He wanted to have a look at how we were tracking, the new program, a whole new coaching team. I can understand that although he has been around for a while he wanted to use this first part of the year to see how we were tracking.โ
Should Himmelberg instead opt to part ways with Adam Kingsley's side, the Giants would likely net a first-round compensation pick to go with the club's current haul of picks 4 and 6.
The contents of this war chest may yet change hands, with McCartney signalling he and his list management team had already held conversations regarding a trade-up for the first pick and Harley Reid's services.
Any prospect of the Giants chasing the talented teenager holds weight given the club trading picks 3, 12 and a future second-rounder to North Melbourne for the right to take Aaron Cadman with the opening selection of the 2022 AFL Draft.
