Harry Himmelberg set to be in the thick of it during AFL trade period

The AFL season still has a long way to go, but teams are already preparing for trade season with one star set to be in the thick of it.

MELBOURNE . 09/04/2023. AFL . Round 4. Essendon vs Greater Western Sydney at Marvel Stadium. Harry Himmelberg of the Giants celebrates a 3rd quarter goal . Pic: Michael Klein

GWS Giants star Harry Himmelberg looks set to be the number one target when the AFL Trade Period gets underway after the 2023 season.

Himmelberg launched onto the scenes in stunning fashion during the AFL’s Gather Round after taking a mark of the year contender before slotting the matchwinning goal.

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If that wasn’t enough he then stopped Hawthorn’s last ditch efforts by getting a hand on Jarman Impey’s shot on goal to secure the Giants’ win.

The 26-year-old is drawing heavy attraction across the AFL landscape with the Sydney Swans emerging as a frontrunner.

Having played predominantly as a forward, kicking 156 goals across eight seasons, he has shown of his versatility with Giants coach Mark McVeigh throwing him around the board.

He is set to become one of seven restricted free agents at the end of the season with the Swans said to be lining up to poach him according to Damian Barrett.

“The Sydney Swans, I can tell you, have identified him as a player that they want on their list for the future,” Barrett told Footy Classified.

“Dane Rampe is a grand player in the backline – how many years he has left, who knows. He’s injured at the moment.

“They have identified Harry Himmelberg as the player they want, the Swans, in the backline.

“There are reasons too, privately, why he would like to stay in Sydney. There’s interest for him in Melbourne as well, but he will be a massive target at the end of the year when he’s a free agent.”

"The Sydney Swans have identified him as a player they want on their list for the future." 👀

Damian Barrett reports the Swans have their eyes on one of this year's leading free agents.#9FootyClassified | @Channel9pic.twitter.com/iOgWP2jl9H

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) April 19, 2023

Up to ten teams have reportedly interested in trying to lure Himmelberg away from the Giants come seasons end, according to AFL journalist Callum Twomey.

Despite the noise building around the future of Himmelberg, Giants football director Jimmy Bartel remained hopeful he would be sticking around.

“He’s a fantastic player, six-foot-four, can play either end as we saw in the space of 90 seconds to help the Giants win (against Hawthorn) and, even more so, he’s a fantastic person,” Bartel told Footy Classified.

Asked if he was worried about losing Himmelberg to a rival club, Bartel said: “No, not at this stage.”

Himmelberg is launching up the trade table. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Another big name star reportedly set to draw major interest is Gold Coast Suns forward Ben King.

The young star forward doesn’t come out of contract until the end of next season but rumours are swirling of a high-profile poach being in play from a Victorian team.

Collingwood have emerged as a contender to pinch the talented forward with Kane Cornes believing if the Suns were to lose him it would spell disaster for the club.

The Herald Sun’s Jay Clark told the Herald Sun Footy Podcast that King could be the missing link for the Magpies who are now armed with cap space.

“He’s out of contract next year,” Clark said.

“As we said in Cap Space last year, I mean, Collingwood would just be licking their chops.

“They’ve got Nick Daicos, he’s Batman, or is he Robin and Ben King would be Batman?

“They would be the best Batman and Robin double act in the competition of their age, if you know what I mean.

“So, Collingwood is probably the one sort of missing link in a sense that young prime key forward, they probably don’t have on their list.

“Ben King, I mean, he’d be sitting back at the moment.

“How many years does he give Gold Coast?”

Cornes said he wouldn’t blame King if he departed the Suns if they fail to turn their fortunes around.

“Already the speculation has begun about King looking for the exit door,” Cornes said on SEN Sportsday.

“Jay Clark from the Herald Sun has spoken about the prospect of King joining the Collingwood juggernaut. What a disastrous blow that would be.

“King is into his third, two-year contract, and you wouldn’t blame him if he departed when this one expires – just as others who are managed by Paul Connors have done previously.”

Originally published as Harry Himmelberg set to be in the thick of it during AFL trade period