GWS Giants coach Leon Cameron dismisses report about football manager Wayne Campbell

Off-contract star Stephen Coniglio and GWS football boss Wayne Campbell have cleared the air after reports of a “non-existent” relationship, as coach Leon Cameron dismissed suggestions of tension in the Giants camp.

Stephen Coniglio has met with Giants football boss Wayne Campbell to clear the air over explosive allegations the pair have a “non-existent” relationship.

The Daily Telegraph understands the off-contract superstar sought out Campbell behind closed doors yesterday morning to dismiss the rumours and reassure him there is no issue with their relationship, following a report from Fox Sports inferring they had fallen out.

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Leon Cameron was caught by surprise after a report regarding footy manager Wayne Campbell. Pic: Michael Klein

On a tense morning at Giants HQ, Campbell also met with club chief executive David Matthews, after Fox Sports claimed the former Richmond great, who is the key GWS contact in the Coniglio negotiations, was likely to be sacked at season’s end.

GWS coach Leon Cameron emphatically denied any relationship breakdown between his chief lieutenant Campbell and key members of the playing group and staff.

Cameron also responded angrily to another aspect of the Fox Sports report that alleged Coniglio would have already signed with GWS if he’d been offered the captaincy, snapping, “absolutely not, you’re undervaluing Stephen Coniglio.”

And the coach refuted any suggestion that the microscope is starting to be run over the Giants entire football department by AFL House and from the GWS board.

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The Giants are coming off a shocker against the Hawks. Pic: AAP

“(Wayne) is contracted until the end of next year like I am and he’s rock solid out our footy club,” said Cameron.

“He’s been fantastic. We’ve got a great relationship; the players have got a great relationship so it was a little bit of a surprise actually from left field. But after I read it I dismissed it and thought most of it is just totally untrue.

“ … I went down and had a bit of dinner with Gil McLachlan a couple of weeks ago and he’s all very, very happy with how the club is progressing.”

Cameron remains confident Coniglio will ultimately stay despite the ominous way talks are dragging out.

“If I knew something different I’d tell you boys, and say I’m really worried, but I’m not at all,” said Cameron.

“We had a meeting with our entire group (on Monday) and Stephen Coniglio was front and square and was probably our most vocal. Those signs and signals I see every week haven’t changed from the start of the year to where we sit at the moment.

“I don’t see any indication it’s going to go against the Giants.”

Coniglio was showing no sign of ducking and weaving yesterday, throwing himself into his injury comeback on the exercise bike and running machine — as he bids to return for the finals — and getting on the front foot to privately dismiss ill-feeling with Campbell, who as the general manager of football oversees all recruitment talks.

Free agent Stephen Coniglio is yet to recommit. Pic: AAP

Cameron said the club was blindsided by the Fox Sports allegations and fiercely denied that Campbell had relationship issues with Coniglio and others.

“No absolutely not. Not what I see. I work closely with Wayne and Wayne works closely with our coaches. Wayne works closely with our players,” said Cameron.

“The amount of players that have re contacted, the amount of time he spends with our players is phenomenal. I don’t see that at all.”

Cameron and Campbell are both contracted until the end of 2020 and any review of the football department would appear to hinge on how the Giants finish the season.

For the second year in a row the club has been decimated by injury to key stars and this has not helped Cameron.

Champion coach Paul Roos said on Fox Footy that Cameron hadn’t been able to procure a ‘premiership-winning style’ at GWS.

Cameron understands criticisms of his coaching, but doesn’t accept the crisis narrative.

“Again (Roos) probably didn’t see the Sydney game or the Collingwood game or the Port game or any of our wins this year,” Cameron said.

“If you lose and you lose poorly which we did … things are just going to pop up like that and they’re issues you don’t even give much time to.”