GREATER Western Sydney looks set to remain home for Dylan Shiel, with the star midfielder declaring he doesn't see his future anywhere else but at the Giants.
Shiel, who will turn 24 the day before GWS' final JLT Community Series clash with North Melbourne in Canberra, is out of contract at the end of this season, but while a host of Victorian clubs might have their eyes on luring him home, disappointment looms.
Speaking to AFL.com.au at Monday night's season launch, the man who finished sixth in last season's extremely tight best and fairest count, all but ended any speculation surrounding his future.
"I'm pretty happy here mate," he said.
"I can honestly say I'm loving my time here at the Giants, obviously we're coming off a fantastic year and I'm not looking to entertain any offers from elsewhere.
"I've told my manager and I've spoken to family and friends about it; I'm pretty happy in Sydney so I don't think it's going to be an issue."
Shiel’s declaration is sure to please Giants' fans and follows reports on SEN radio on Monday that fellow gun onballer Josh Kelly also looks set to pledge his allegiance to the club.
The dynamic left-footer signed his first contract extension with GWS in June 2015, and while Shiel said he's hoping to get another new deal done early in the season, the details hardly seem to be troubling him.
"It's not even at the forefront of my mind," he said.
"I've had conversations with my management and the club but there's nothing really to discuss, it's pretty straightforward from my point of view."
After a knee injury curtailed his previous season, Shiel racked up a career-high 639 possessions at an average of 27.8 from his 23 games in 2016, reaffirming himself as the Giants' most explosive and dangerous midfielder.
Minor surgery to remove a bone spur from the back of his right heel affected his training before last year's Christmas break, but now back in full training, Shiel is confident he'll be fit to play some part in the pre-season competition, and left no doubt about his availability for round one.
"It's a common injury seen in a lot of skiers, with their tight boots rubbing on the heel, and that’s what happened with me," he said.
"I played out last season with it and unfortunately it didn't settle down at the end of the year which we anticipated it would, so I had to go under the knife.
"I've had five or six operations over the last few years so it's nothing new to me, but my preparation hasn't changed too much, and I feel like I'm training at a good level now.
"I'm just concentrating on my sessions with the main group now and doing some extra stuff on the side with my conditioning to make up a bit of ground."
