Greater Western Sydney Giants remain confident Stephen Coniglio will recommit to the club
The GWS dressing room remains confident Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio will recommit to the club, even though the Giants are still playing the waiting game. BEN HORNE spoke to Tim Taranto about how the players are feeling.
The GWS dressing room remains confident Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio will recommit to the brotherhood, even though the club are still playing the waiting game with their two biggest stars.
Giants midfield ace Tim Taranto says the players aren’t losing sleep over the contract status of the two vice-captains, even though he admits the unresolved issue is not exactly a hot topic of conversation at training.
Coniglio appeared on Nine’s The Sunday Footy Show and was asked whether it would be difficult to leave the Giants.
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His response: “Who is saying I’m leaving?”
GWS are certainly confident Coniglio will ultimately re-sign but it could be a long process, similar to the last time Kelly was off-contract and didn’t decide on his future until late in the season.
Experts have predicted Coniglio could command as much as $1.4 million on the open market and it’s clear rival clubs are queuing up in anticipation.
However, the Giants privately remain confident that player power will keep him in orange.
The likes of Coniglio, Kelly and Toby Greene have been at the Giants since inception and have been to hell and back to now be in a position to win an inaugural AFL flag. It’s just about the rarest piece of history a player could be part of, to be there for the first premiership.
Taranto said Coniglio was a natural-born-leader — and the “spiritual leader” of the club — who he expects will stay a Giant for the long-term and ultimately captain GWS.
“I’m pretty confident,” said Taranto, who has himself gone to another level following the departures of Dylan Shiel and Tom Scully.
“Honestly, no one talks about it, but I’m pretty confident it’ll get done.
“He’s definitely a natural leader. I think he has captain written all over him. One day it might be his.
“But he leads us tremendously well. He’s probably the spiritual leader of our club.”
Coniglio captained GWS for the first time in their derby rout over Sydney and kicked four goals in another stunning performance.
Callan Ward and Phil Davis are the club’s co-captains, but Coniglio could be the future top dog if he stays.
The 25-year-old told The Footy Show he doesn’t believe the ongoing scrutiny will impact his performance and he won’t be hurried into making a call.
“At the moment I’m just taking it as it comes, I’m in no rush. With the free agency and how it’s evolved the last few years, I’m comfortable with the footy I’m playing individually and just contributing to the team,” he said.
“It was always my intention this year to let my footy do the talking but most importantly contribute to the team and where we want to get to.
“In terms of dates or when I’ll know anything more I haven’t put a date on it. I will wait and see as the year goes on but at the moment I’m just happy. It’s even better when you’re winning games.”
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