GIANTS midfielder Matt de Boer has signed a one-year contract extension with the club as he gets set to return to the field against North Melbourne on Sunday.

The deal takes the veteran through to the end of 2022, which will be the 31-year-old’s sixth season with the club since being delisted at the end of 2016.

De Boer was drafted to Fremantle in the 2009 rookie draft and played 138 games for the Dockers over eight seasons, including the 2013 AFL Grand Final.

He joined the GIANTS ahead of the 2017 season and settled into life as a GIANT swiftly, elevated to the club’s leadership group in 2018.

Renowned as one of the game’s premier taggers - as well as being able to play as a midfielder and forward - de Boer passed the 200-game milestone in 2020.

GIANTS General Manager of Football Jason McCartney said:

“We’re delighted to extend Matt’s contract for another season.

“He's reinvented his career since arriving at the club and has already contributed so much on and off the field.

“We - and he - feel he has plenty left to give and are pleased to add another year to his contract.”

De Boer said he was excited for at least another season in the orange and charcoal.

“The GIANTS are my home now and it was a very easy decision to add another year to my contract,” he said.

“This season didn’t start the way I wanted in terms of my hamstring injury but I’m really excited to get back out on the field on Sunday against the Kangaroos.

“The opening half of the season has shown everyone what a young and exciting list we have and I’m really looking forward to being part of that both now and in the future.”