Damaging GWS defender Zac Williams rebuffs long-term contract offer
A swag of big-name re-signings have left grand finalist GWS vulnerable to a poaching raid and in-demand free agent Zac Williams is the Giant rival clubs have zeroed in on.
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Greater Western Sydney line breaker Zac Williams has emerged as one of the league’s most in-demand free agents after rebuffing the Giants’ long-term contract offer.
Williams, 25, is out of contract at the end of the season and has already attracted significant league-wide interest after a career-best campaign in 2019.
The Giants have been desperate to re-sign Williams but may be unable to squeeze the jet playmaker into its bulging salary cap which already includes monster deals for superstars Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Toby Greene and, if he puts pen to paper this year, Jeremy Cameron.
It means Williams could be vulnerable to a poaching raid, with the brilliant playmaker to receive offers in excess of $750,000 a season to switch clubs.
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GWS has already put a deal to the dazzling academy product, but he has decided to hold off.
It means the run and carry specialist will look to play out the first few months of the season before seriously reconsidering his future in the back half of the year.
Williams is considered one of the best running defenders in the league, and was named in Champion Data’s Team, of the year in a back pocket.
Pushed into the middle of the ground from about Round 18, Williams showed his potential as a damaging midfielder and was outstanding in the Giants’ shock preliminary final win over Collingwood in the wet at the MCG.
In the absence of injured pair Coniglio and Whitfield and Greene, who was suspended, Williams had 25 disposals including a season-high 10 clearances and 16 contested possessions, and a goal, to help steer the Giants to their first Grand Final berth against Richmond.
It rounded off an exceptional finish to the season for the former rookie from New South Wales who is due for a significant pay increase on his next deal.
The 102-gamer is certain to attract more long term offers in excess of five or six seasons to help secure his signature.
The 185cm Williams was one of only six players in the league last year to average at least 24 disposals, 475m gained and three inside 50s per game.
The star defender finished fifth in the best and fairest, helping bouncing back from a nightmare 2018 when an Achilles injury restricted Williams to only two senior matches for the year.
GWS remains confident the local product will stay at the club as it also zeroes in on re-signing superstar Coleman medallist Cameron.
The Giants have done an excellent job locking away their biggest names under former list boss turned footy chief Jason McCartney, who has retained the bulk of the superstar talent to help keep the Giants in the premiership frame.
Originally published as Damaging GWS defender Zac Williams rebuffs long-term contract offer