GREATER Western Sydney football manager Wayne Campbell caught up with his Fremantle counterpart Chris Bond last week to discuss the footballing future of Giants' forward Cam McCarthy.

Campbell took the opportunity to break bread with Bond, a former teammate of his at Richmond, and canvass options in relation to the key forward, who returned to West Australia in January due to homesickness.

Fremantle tried to organise a trade with the Giants for McCarthy during last year's trade period after he expressed a desire to return to his home state.

However, Greater Western Sydney rebuffed all offers for the 21-year-old who still had two years remaining on his contract.

The Giants could have gained first round picks in both the 2015 and 2016 NAB AFL Draft if they had been willing to trade McCarthy at the time, but his trade value at has diminished. 

The Dockers remain the frontrunner for the talented forward, who kicked 36 goals in 21 games with the Giants after being a first round selection in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, although the Giants have not declared he will be on the trade table just yet.

It is not unusual for officials of AFL clubs to catch up with each other to discuss potential trades ahead of time, although the fact McCarthy is not playing for the Giants in 2016 means speculation about his future has begun earlier in the season than normal.

Giants coach Leon Cameron and welfare manager Brett Hand are also understood to have caught up with McCarthy while the Giants were in town to play Fremantle, who remain winless after seven rounds and are in line for a top-four draft pick at the end of the season.

Cameron spoke positively about the encounter with McCarthy, who remains popular with his Giants teammates.

"He looks nice and healthy, bubbly," Cameron said.

"I've probably said it 10 times - he's just too good of a person, too good of a player to be out of AFL footy.

"And where that leads to at the end of the year, no one knows. I can't tell you. And nor should I now, because the most important thing is that he's starting to get a little bit of an urge about footy again."

McCarthy has been given permission to train with WAFL club South Fremantle to remain in shape for when he continues his AFL career.