Himmelberg happy at Giants but free agent status will linger

An exciting Giants swingman says he is happy to remain at the club, but there is more work to be done to keep him in orange.

GWS utility Harry Himmelberg thinks he would like to remain in orange and charcoal beyond 2023 but says he is not in a rush to re-sign with the Giants. Picture: Phil Hillyard

GWS utility Harry Himmelberg thinks he would like to remain in orange and charcoal beyond 2023 but says he is not in a rush to re-sign with the Giants.

The 26-year-old has made a relatively quiet start to the season as a forward, with just seven goals from five games.

However, he had rival clubs salivating as he took a towering mark late against Hawthorn, before goaling to put the Giants in front, only then to push into defence to make the matchwinning save at the other end of the ground.

Himmelberg is a restricted free agent at the season’s end, but insists he is not paying any attention to opposition interest as he focuses on playing a key role in the Giants’ revival.

Speaking from Canberra ahead of Saturday’s big match against Brisbane, he said he was “comfortable” with the prospect of remaining at the Giants and ignoring the noise around his contract situation.

Harry Himmelberg says he will not make a final decision on his future until the end of the season but would like to remain a Giant at this point. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“For me it’s pretty easy; it’s tougher on my manager Dave Trotter – he’s the one who has to deal with it all … he just sort of lets me play footy and focus on footy, and that’s what I’m doing at the moment,” Himmelberg said.

“New coaches, new system, so I’m concentrating on learning that more so than worrying about contract stuff. I just want to play good footy and I just want to win.

“I think (remaining at GWS is his preference) … it will play out throughout the year, but I’m comfortable where I am at the moment and I’m really happy with how the team is progressing this year. I’m just having fun playing footy.”

GWS has lost its past seven matches at Canberra’s Manuka Oval by an average margin of 37 points, with its last win at the venue coming in round 7, 2019.

Himmelberg said the Giants want to turn the ground back into their fortress, having won nine consecutive games there between 2016 and 2018.

Tom Green’s one-match ban for a rough tackle on Hawthorn’s Josh Ward has cost him a game in his hometown at Manuka Oval. Picture: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

“I think Kinga said in his presser this week that we want to make this ground a fortress – the last couple of years we haven’t done that, but we’ve got all new coaches, an all new game plan now and we’re looking to work on that and really improving that record, because we love playing here,” Himmelberg said.

The Tom Green Fan Club tent has again been erected at Manuka Oval despite the absence of the Canberran star through suspension, with Himmelberg joking Green had arrived days before to ensure it was still set up.

Hard-running midfielder Harry Perryman has returned from a torn hamstring to take Green’s place in the side, while Brent Daniels (managed) comes into the 22 along with last week’s sub, Harry Rowston.

Veteran defender Adam Kennedy has been omitted, while the Giants confirmed Cooper Hamilton will be sidelined with a “small stress fracture” in his foot which does not require surgery.

Originally published as Himmelberg happy at Giants but free agent status will linger