Former Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh still without a contract offer for next season

WHEN GWS missed out on Lance Franklin they snared Shane Mumford from their cross town rival. Now, they could snatch another big fish from the Swans.

Jarrad McVeigh (r) and Jake Lloyd during Swans training at the SCG ahead of Friday match against the Demons. Swans have won 6 out of last 7 matches and have turned season around after losing the first six. Picture. Phil Hillyard

SYDNEY are risking losing Jarrad McVeigh to cross-town rivals GWS with the Swans yet to offer their former captain a contract for next season.

McVeigh has been in outstanding form since returning from injury two months ago, picking up 20 disposals in each of his six matches.

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His manager confirmed the 32-year-old wants to play on in 2018 and would “consider other options” if an offer from the Swans isn’t forthcoming.

The Giants would be in an ideal position to swoop on McVeigh, whose brother Mark is an assistant coach at GWS.

With Steve Johnson set to announce his retirement today (Thursday) and the club’s proven track record at providing veterans key roles at the club, McVeigh is well placed to fill a void as a senior voice.

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It would be another bitter chapter in the all-Sydney rivalry. The Giants were left fuming in 2013 when the Swans crept under their guard to sign Lance Franklin.

GWS hit back by signing Shane Mumford. But nabbing McVeigh would be a hammer blow.

Sydney are yet to make an offer to their former co-captain for the 2018 season despite his outstanding form since returning from injury two months ago.

The 32-year-old has picked up more than 20 disposals in each of his six matches since round 15 and has added a cool head and touch of class to their backline.

He was again one of their best players in Friday night’s demolition of Geelong at Simonds Stadium.

Mark McVeigh is an assistant at GWS. Picture: Brett Costello

Family ties? Jarrad McVeigh at Swans training. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“Jarrad wants to play on next year,” McVeigh’s manager Phil Mullen told The Daily Telegraph

“Our priority is to get to the end of the season, if the club doesn’t make an offer for next year then we will consider other options.”

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McVeigh has been one of the Swans very best players and leaders in a highly successful era spanning 14 seasons. He needs just five more games to become only the fourth Swan to reach the 300 game mark after Adam Goodes (372), June Bolton (325) and Michael O’Loughlin (303). McVeigh and Mullen met today to discuss his future and are looking to

“The last discussion we had was the week after his return to footy,” Mullen said.

“Understandably the club had concerns about his body and his ability to stay healthy. His form since then has been excellent. The season is coming to an end very shortly and we need to know.”

Swans chairman Andrew Pridham said he hoped McVeigh would finish his playing career on his own terms and at Sydney.

Jarrad McVeigh has been a constant during the Swans’ successful era. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“Absolutely I would like to see Jarrad finish his career in red and white,” Pridham said.

“We always want greats like Jarrad to finish at the club they started at. He will decide at the end of the season. We let the player make the decision about whether they go on. He’s got a lot to offer and if he wanted to play another year I’m sure he could.”

Brisbane Lions triple premiership player Alistair Lynch recently wrote an open letter to McVeigh encouraging him to head north to Brisbane at the end of this season and play for his former club in a mentoring role. Lynch’s proposal was for McVeigh to play for as long as his body would allow and transition into an assistant coaching role with the Lions.

It’s a role he may take on at GWS and he won’t have to move his family interstate.

The model Lynch described was one used with great success by the Giants in their early years when Chad Cornes, Dean Brogan, Luke Power and James McDonald all helped out on the field as players and off the field as assistant coaches. Brogan is still at the club as an assistant coach.

McVeigh’s older brother Mark is currently at the Giants where he works as an assistant coach under Leon Cameron. He has also worked in the role of head coach of the GWS Academy after retiring from football in 2012 after playing 232 games in 14 seasons with Essendon.

The Giants also recruited Jed Lamb from the Swans in 2013 while Shaun Edwards is the only ex Giants player at Sydney.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Cameron will hold a media conference this morning to confirm the former Cat’s retirement.

Johnson has played 289 games for the Giants and Geelong since 2002.

The man known as “Stevie J” has won three premierships, is a three-time All-Australian and Norm Smith Medallist.

Originally published as Former Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh still without a contract offer for next season