GREATER Western Sydney has secured gun defender Nick Haynes on a long-term deal in what the club hopes is the first of many key re-signings in 2019.
Haynes, who finished fifth in last year's club champion award after playing every game for the season for the first time in his career, has committed to the Giants for another five years.
Due to become a restricted free agent at the end of the year, the athletic backman will be 32 when the deal ends at the end of 2024, meaning the foundation Giant will almost certainly finish his career as a one-club player.
With the talented Haynes locked away, the Giants can focus on obtaining the prized signatures of star midfielders and vice-captains Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio, the versatile Adam Tomlinson, and emerging youngsters Jacob Hopper and Harry Himmelberg.
Veterans Heath Shaw, Brett Deledio and Matt de Boer are also among a host of Giants set to come out of contract at the end of this season.
After being taken with pick No.7 at the Giants' first ever NAB AFL draft in 2011, Haynes has played 105 games, and is one of 11 original Giants still at the club.
Despite plenty of talk from outside the walls of the Giants about the club struggling to keep hold of its established stars, Haynes told AFL.com.au that his decision to stay in Sydney wasn't a tough one and he's confident his teammates will follow.
"I always knew that I wanted to be a one-club player so there wasn't much thinking to do when it came to my future," he said.
"I love Sydney and the club, and I think we're going to play a lot of finals footy over the next six years and I strongly believe that we're going to contend for premierships in every one of those years.
"I wouldn't be staying here if I didn't think that was the case.
"It would be ideal if the other boys jumped on board this week too, but we know that's not going to happen.
"I'm confident and the club is confident we can keep the players we need to have premiership success.
"There's so much good news coming out of the club at the moment so hopefully those boys sign on in the near future."
Haynes is one of 11 players still at the GWS from its first year in the AFL, along with co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis, Coniglio, Toby Greene, Jon Patton, Jeremy Cameron, Tomlinson, Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy and Sam Reid.
He said that group still has the burning desire to bring home the Giants' inaugural flag.
"It was such a unique situation when that group came together when the club was first formed," he said.
"It's been such a great journey from not winning a game to making preliminary finals together.
"To be there to win a premiership with those core boys, along with the rest of the players we have at the club, would be something special."
WHO MAKES FINALS? Do the 2019 Ladder Predictor
In more good news for the Giants, exciting youngster Brent Daniels has extended his current contract by a further two seasons, tying him to the club until at least the end of 2021.
Rated by the Giants as the best small forward in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft, Daniels played seven games in his debut season last year after overcoming a serious pre-season knee injury, and said he's hoping to build on that this year.
"It’s great to be able to add another two years to my contract before my second season even starts," he said.
"It was such a learning experience to move to Sydney and start my career as an AFL footballer and I’m ready to put my best foot forward over the coming years for the Giants."
