Finn Callaghan rebuked record contract offers to stay at the GWS Giants in search of a maiden flag

Finn Callaghan turned down what could have been the biggest contract in AFL history from St Kilda. He tells Lachlan McKirdy the Giants are closer to something the Saints can’t buy – a flag.

The Giants’ proximity to a premiership looms as the biggest reason for Finn Callaghan turning down one of the biggest contracts in AFL history to remain with the club.

The No. 3 pick from the 2021 draft, Callaghan was one of the hottest properties off-contract at the end of this season with multiple clubs from his home state of Victoria vying for his services.

St Kilda was one of his most-interested suitors, reportedly offering a deal in excess of $17 million over 10 years. However, Callaghan has opted to remain in Western Sydney, signing a new four-year deal that is believed to be worth close to a million dollars a season.

And the 21-year-old is ready to repay the faith by hopefully helping them to a breakthrough premiership.

“Ever since I first came to the Giants, the club’s always looked after me,” Callaghan said. “That was one of the main reasons to sort of give back.

“I’m really thankful for when they first drafted me and I wanted to show that. I think signing a contract is the best way to do that.

“I think we’ve got a brilliant list. I think we’re right in the premiership window and that’s something I really want to be a part of. So, in my eyes, I wouldn’t want to leave now.”

Callaghan is determined to help lead the Giants to a maiden premiership. Picture: Phil Hillyard

CREATING A GIANT CULTURE

There’s no doubt that Callaghan is on the verge of being a great AFL midfielder. In just his third season in the competition, he averaged 22.9 disposals, 7.9 contested possessions and 3.4 clearances a game in a hybrid role across the midfield and wing.

But convincing him to stay was always going to be a hard task given the money on the table at other clubs like St Kilda. It’s why hearing him talk about the influence the club’s culture had on the decision is such a big win for the Giants.

“I said to (my manager) from the start, I really want to stay at the Giants and he loved the idea of that,” Callaghan said. “It was a pretty smooth process and it didn’t take too long to get it all sorted.

“We’re building a brilliant culture here. It’s something (Adam Kingsley) has been really big on. I’ve had brilliant leaders like Phil Davis … Josh Kelly, Toby Greene, Callan Ward, (Stephen) Coniglio, brilliant role models. They’ve instilled their values in me. It’s something I want to keep learning off them and following in their footsteps.

“We’re building really good momentum with our young group of players coming through. You want to stay together and really take the club where it can get to. Everyone can see the vision of where we’re going. I think everyone just wants to be a part of that.”

Signed through until the end of 2029, Callaghan will be a focal point of the Giants’ midfield in the years to come. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Finding that value at a club outside of a contract can then easily trickle down to other members of the team. Callaghan is now one of several players tied to the club on a long-term deal, and his willingness to take less money than he could have has not gone unnoticed.

“For the time I’ve been here, we’ve had some big re-signings, but this one’s probably a little bit different in terms of he’s taken a lot less to stay, which is hard to do,” Brent Daniels said.

“Everyone talks about it, but it’s hard to do it until it becomes your turn, and he’s obviously done it.

“It says a lot about what we’re trying to build with our culture, and I think his main thing was he wants to be a part of a successful club and I think we’re in a spot to do that.”

There will be extra responsibilities on Callaghan’s shoulders not only with the new deal, but with a prominent role in midfield. Picture: Phil Hillyard

GO BIG OR ‘GO HOME’

Despite the Giants’ array of draft concessions in their early years, the club has always maintained a strong recruitment philosophy amid their ongoing battle with the ‘go-home’ factor.

Clubs in non-traditional states have always battled to maintain players’ services into the future. Even as the AFL gains more of a foothold in places like NSW and Queensland, Victoria remains dominant with 44 out of the 71 players in the 2024 draft coming from the state.

Over the years, Adam Treloar, Jack Steele, Dylan Shiel, Jacob Hopper, Tim Taranto and Bobby Hill are among those to have ended up back in Victoria from the Giants on lucrative deals. Jeremy Cameron headlines the group after the inaugural GWS star headed to Geelong.

But the Giants have found a balance where if players leave the club, more often than not it’s because they’re happy for them to. They’re not willing to overpay for them to stay, and when they do leave, they’re confident they can replace them.

Take Jesse Hogan, who has become their new star in the forward line. He won a Coleman Medal last season, as well as several matches off his own boot. The club has shown an ability to adapt on the run.

But the past 12 months have been the most telling in GWS’ long-term strategy, which centres around winning that elusive premiership.

While Perryman and Cumming were two vital parts of the Giants cog, the club was content with their recruitment strategy which saw them depart. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling all left the club on enormous deals. Perryman reportedly received a six-year deal with Collingwood worth up to $900,000 a season. Cumming and Peatling both ended up at the Crows with the former handed a six-year contract despite his injury history and Peatling on a deal believed to be close to $650,000 a year after playing only 45 AFL matches.

The trio were all entrenched in the Giants’ best 23 by the end of last year, and while they’ll add value to their new clubs, they weren’t game-changers for GWS. Peatling potentially looms as the biggest loss given a lack of depth in hard-nosed midfielders, but even then, he was playing in the VFL as recently as round 11 last season.

Matching the deals offered to them would have been almost irresponsible, with the focus on long-term deals for All-Australian calibre players like Daniels and Sam Taylor. There’s also a sense of urgency for the Giants to go all in with a handful of key players all on the other side of 30 – an acceptance highlighted by the recruitment of 30-year-old star Jake Stringer

Callaghan’s retention is a sign that younger players are ready to buy-in to what the Giants are building for the long term even when there’s more money on the table. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Callaghan is certainly a player who can contribute to a flag. He’s a top draft pick about to realise his potential, has played 45 matches in the past two seasons and will be integral to the Giants midfield in 2025 and beyond.

But the fact he has rebuked advances from his home state is the biggest endorsement yet for the Giants that they’re on the right path.

“We can definitely win (a premiership) over the next few years,” Callaghan said.

“To be a first premiership player for the Giants would be something that would be amazing for the club and start a history.”