With the 2021 Continental Tyres Trade Period set to kick off next Monday, GIANTS General Manager of Football Jason McCartney spoke with the team at AFL Trade Radio to provide an update on how the GIANTS are approaching the period. 

McCartney confirmed the club were excited by their strong draft hand, with its first two selections at picks two and 13, and expect to be quiet across the upcoming period. Free agency runs from October 1-8 with the Trade Period to run from October 4-13.

Jeremy Finlayson 

The GIANTS have granted forward Jeremy Finlayson permission to explore potential trade options following the birth of his first child last month.

Finlayson recently had a meeting with Port Adelaide, but McCartney told Trade Radio the 25-year-old is not limited to South Australia.

"We’ve given Jeremy permission with his manager to explore options as there’s concern around his family support," McCartney said.  

"We know he's really happy at the club, but there's probably a lack of family support in Sydney for Jeremy and his partner so we've given his manager permission to explore, but I don't know how genuine Port's interest is.

"We don't think much will happen, but if it does the ball is in our court as he is contracted."

Jake Riccardi and Matt Flynn

McCartney confirmed the club is close to finalising new contracts for key forward Jake Riccardi and ruck Matt Flynn.

"I'll put Jake and Matt Flynn together in this one, we're pretty close to ticking those guys off for the next couple of years,” he said.

Stephen Coniglio 

McCartney addressed some external speculation around captain Stephen Coniglio.

"Fremantle haven't asked the question, it's not something we've discussed, it's not something another club has discussed with us,” he said.

Phil Davis

Inaugural co-captain Phil Davis is also working through a contract extension.

"Phil does have a contract in front of him, that's something we're working through at the moment,” McCartney said.

"We're working with Phil and his management about what next season might look like, but he has a contract." 

Zach Sproule and Jake Stein 

Rookie forward Zach Sproule and key defender Jake Stein are also expected to be GIANTS in 2022.

"They have rookie contracts sitting in front of them for another year,” McCartney confirmed.

Draft Hand

McCartney said it was unlikely the GIANTS would part with pick two in this year's NAB AFL Draft, a pick acquired in a deal with Collingwood last year.

The GIANTS gave up picks 24, 30 and a future fourth-round selection – pick 24 was one of the three first-round picks acquired from Geelong for Jeremy Cameron – to Collingwood for a future first-round pick that has ended up being pick two in this year’s draft.

"At this point we're really comfortable with pick two,” McCartney said.

"We'd be loath to be moving back too far. It would have to be something very, very appealing to move back from pick two.

"We've got pick two, pick 13 and we've got another Academy product in Josh Fahey who we like out of Canberra."

The NAB AFL Draft will be held on November 24.