Stephen Coniglio’s $7m mega deal ‘destroyed’ GWS Giants

GWS has come under fire for a careless, multimillion-dollar move that threatens to cripple the club as its premiership window slips away.

Stephen Coniglio has endured a rough trot since signing his mega deal.

Questions are again being asked about the wisdom of GWS re-signing Stephen Coniglio to a monster $7 million deal.

The midfielder agreed to a seven-year extension in 2019 but trouble soon followed. He was named captain in 2020 before his form suffered and he was dropped later that year.

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The Giants missed the finals in 2020 before rebounding in 2021 to finish seventh at the end of the season, but there are concerns their premiership window has closed.

Footy pundits had called on GWS to take the captaincy off Coniglio so he could concentrate on rediscovering his best form. Late last year the Giants announced a new leadership model, with Josh Kelly and Toby Greene joining Coniglio as co-captains.

Speaking on Footy Classified on Monday night, AFL reporter Sam McClure said Coniglio's mega deal has “destroyed” the Giants in a financial sense.

“I thought it was the wrong decision at the time, I still think it’s the wrong decision,” he said.

“That’s nothing against Stephen, who’s been a wonderful servant of that footy club for a long time. (But) they had to let him go. They’ve got so many midfielders coming through.

“That decision has really backed them into a corner for the next few years, it has absolutely destroyed that footy club financially.”

Stephen Coniglio will be a Giant for life. Photo by Phil Hillyard

Fellow midfielders Kelly and Lachie Whitfield have also agreed to long-term deals in recent times. Kelly is remaining on the GWS books after signing a whopping $8 million deal last year that keeps him at the club until 2029, while Whitfield is under contract until 2027.

Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes was critical of handing out such contracts.

“They’ve made the same mistake with Kelly — nine years. In six years I guarantee you we’re having the same discussion about Josh Kelly’s contract,” Cornes told Footy Classified.

“Clubs continually fall into this trap.

“You’ve got to let them go, at times. You have to not be afraid to lose them.”

McClure took a swipe at the Giants’ list management, adding: “There’s been misguided list management for too many years, picking up too many midfielders year after year after year.

“You’ve got too many (people) in high places making contract decisions that have ultimately come back to the haunt club.

“I think personally if the footy department had their way, if Coniglio had left they would‘ve been able to cover it.”

Originally published as Stephen Coniglio’s $7m mega deal ‘destroyed’ GWS Giants