Coach not concerned over Shiel deal talk

GWS coach Leon Cameron says he is at peace with speculation about AFL rivals attempting to poach star Dylan Shiel.

Cameron insisted the club has gone through the process plenty of times before.

Shiel is contracted until the end of the 2019 season but multiple reports suggest Essendon, Hawthorn and Carlton are already attempting to recruit him.

“At this time of year there is always speculation on one or two players. You just ignore it,” Cameron told reporters yesterday.

“Every year that speculation happens more and more. It probably gains 10 per cent every year.

“There are always going to be challenges to keep players.

“We’ve had our challenges with that but we’ve done a fantastic job keeping players at our footy club.”

Shiel will become a free agent at the end of the 2019 season, at which point he’ll have more power to walk out on the club should he wish to.

The 25-year-old has given no indication he is unsure about his future, especially when it comes to next season.

“He’s contracted [for 2019]. That’s the good thing about it but no doubt people will still talk about it,” Cameron said.

Shiel, among the Giants’ most important players, noted earlier this year he has no interest in requesting a trade.

“Unless the Giants are exploring flicking me at the end of the year, at this stage I’m pretty happy up here and I’m contracted until the end of next year,” Shiel said in July.

“I’m enjoying my time up here and I certainly haven’t looked at any options to leave at the end of this year.”

GWS young gun Josh Kelly’s contract discussions regularly made headlines last year but he eventually recommitted, shunning a $10 million offer from North Melbourne.

Collingwood gun Adam Treloar and Western Bulldogs premiership player Tom Boyd are among the Giants’ firstround draft picks to have requested trades in the past.