GWS star Sam Taylor has signed a seven-year contract extension to remain with the Giants until the end of 2032.
The deal comes with Taylor already tied to the New South Wales club for next year, with his new contract making him the equally longest-signed player in the AFL with Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton and Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee.
Taylor, an All-Australian and Kevin Sheedy Medal winner, has had his future with the Giants garner speculation given the expected interest from clubs out of his home state of Western Australia, as well as other rivals.
Any chance of a departure over the next 18 months has now been scrapped, with Taylor locking in his services in the orange and charcoal for the long haul.
โIt's a really exciting day for our club,โ GWS football boss Jason McCartney said in a club statement.
โSam is a generational talent and has already proven himself as one of the best defenders in the competition in his career so far.
โHe's already an All Australian, club champion and leader of our club and is continually focused on bettering himself, so we can't wait to see where his career at the club takes him.
โHis commitment is a fantastic endorsement of our football program under Adam Kingsley and Toby Greene and we're excited for the future.โ
Taylor has played 102 games for GWS and has emerged as one of the premier defenders in the competition over the past several seasons.
This year he averages 12.33 disposals, 5.56 marks and 2.67 contested marks per game and ranks first overall for contended one-on-one losses at 12%.
With Taylor's signature secured, the Giants are anticipated to turn attention toward free agents Isaac Cumming and Harry Perryman, who both remain unsigned beyond 2024.
