GREATER Western Sydney has locked in star midfielder Lachie Whitfield with the former No.1 draft pick signing a two-year contract extension.
Whitfield, who was due to come out of contract at the end of next year, has extended his stay with the Giants until at least the end of 2020.
The star midfielder had some keen suitors in Victoria, with Hawthorn believed to be among the frontrunners for his services.
"It was a pretty easy decision really," Whitfield told the GWS website.
"This has been my home since I arrived five years ago and this is where I want to play my football.
"I love the Sydney lifestyle and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
"We're building something special and I’m looking forward to what's to come in the next few years."
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Whitfield, taken first in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, has played 88 games for the club over his five seasons.
He has averaged more than 24 disposals and six marks a game, kicking 10 goals for the season.
GWS coach Leon Cameron said he was pleased the club was able to ward off opposition interest in Whitfield.
"It's fantastic, these negotiations all have their own timelines and over the course of the last six months we've probably had six or seven players that have recommitted to our footy club," Cameron said.
"These players that continue to put pen to paper is a great signal to the club and the rest of the competition that they want to be here.
"For Lachie to go past his current contract and sign until 2020 is a great endorsement for where we're sitting because there's no doubt there would have been a number of clubs looking at him, and rightly so – he's a terrific young player."
The 23-year-old was suspended for the first eight rounds of the 2017 season, as part of a six-month ban, for allegedly evading a drug test back in 2015.
Then Giants football manager Graeme Allan and welfare manager Craig Lambert were handed 12-month suspensions for their involvement in helping Whitfield allegedly avoid the test.
Whitfield's contract extension comes after Jacob Hopper, Dawson Simpson and Daniel Lloyd all re-signed with the club over the past fortnight.
GWS will take on West Coast in a do-or-die semi-final at Spotless Stadium on Saturday night.
