Giants back culture to keep free agent Stephen Coniglio

GWS says it would never hold a player against his will but hopes the club’s culture and a wide-open premiership window to convince Stephen Coniglio to re-sign. Plus Shane Mumford and Brett Deledio contract updates.

Stephen Coniglio of the Giants.

GWS boss David Matthews says the club would never match a free agency bid, backing the club’s culture and wide-open premiership window to retain Stephen Coniglio.

The Giants are confident Coniglio will ignore rival offers of up to $7 million over five years despite his contract talks dragging on into the second half of the year.

And amid continued speculation about GWS players including in-demand pair Aiden Bonar and Adam Tomlinson, Matthews says the club’s record stacks up.

“We are always a bit bemused by discussions over whether the premiership window is closed,” he said.

“Basically you end up having the trade period last year (when the Giants lost Dylan Shiel, Rory Lobb and Tom Scully) because you have a very, very talented list and that list costs money to maintain.

“They don’t leave because of the culture, they don’t leave because of the lack of prospect of success, most of them leave for either money or a little bit about opportunity.“

Coniglio is the club’s vice-captain and could easily have been made captain this year given strong player support.

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But he was made to wait one more year as Leon Cameron instead retained the co-captaincy model with Phil Davis and Callan Ward.

But Matthews said the club would never use the captaincy as a lure to retain someone like Coniglio or hold a player against his will by matching a free agency bid.

“Matching theoretically makes sense but you would never want it to come to that. If there are reasons they want to go, you would let them.”

GWS star Stephen Coniglio is a target for several Victorian clubs.

GWS is open to the prospect of veteran duo Shane Mumford and Brett Deledio playing on if they can remain fit.

“Mumford’s return on any measure has been an overwhelming success,” Matthews said.

“It’s the old Kevin Sheedy thing about what a year out of the game does for you in terms of resting your body. He has been terrific.

“He and Brett are both good stories right now, we are not 100 per cent sure what it means for the year after but that is not a decision we need to make today.”

The Giants have hopes of playing a game for premiership points in America, although Western Bulldogs boss Peter Gordon said this week ground availability could quash that hope.

But Matthews revealed an Indian consortium was in the process of building grounds across the US that could pave the way for them to realise their dream.

“Cricket US have done a deal with some Indian backers to build six cricket grounds across America to play a T20 competition,” he said.

“We have been in discussion with them because what it means for us is the major impediment to the US has been availability of venue and it’s resolved.”

Originally published as Giants back culture to keep free agent Stephen Coniglio