GREATER Western Sydney midfielder Finn Callaghan has started the season with a free mind and fresh focus to help his side to do "special things" after making a long-term commitment to stay at the club.
The highly-rated midfielder made an ominous start to the season with a best afield performance in GWS's commanding 52-point victory over Collingwood at Engie Stadium on Sunday.
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Callaghan gathered 33 disposals and a career-high seven clearances, showing off his silky and superior ball movement just two weeks after he turned down rival offers - one reportedly worth $17 million - to sign a four-year contract extension at the Giants.
"People say you don't think about contracts, but it's always in the back of your mind," Callaghan told AFL.com.au after the win at Engie Stadium.
"To have it out of the way and just decide to stay at the club has freed me up.
"I'm really happy, I love it up here, love the boys, love the group. I think we can do some special things over the next few years. We've got a strong belief in ourselves."
Callaghan has targeted playing as an onballer this year and had his first taste of being at the coalface more with big-bodied midfielder Tom Green missing the Opening Round blockbuster through injury.
The 21-year-old also wants to add attacking weapons to his arsenal after only booting seven goals in his first 50 matches and finished with a career-high two majors from four shots against the Pies.
"I'm trying to play more on the inside, keep improving my contested ball game, then really back my strengths to explode away from contests and use my pace, try to break the lines," Callaghan said.
"I want to add goals to my game too. I didn't kick too many in past years. If I can hit the scoreboard, create more score involvements, that's only going to be a good thing for the team."
Callaghan showed enough against the Magpies to suggest that he could be set for a breakout year that would lift him to the heights widely expected from a No.3 draft pick.
The former Sandringham Dragon added a freshness to the Giants midfield against the Pies while at times resembling teammate Josh Kelly in the way that both can move smoothly through traffic and bring others into the game with clean disposal.
"It's my fourth year now, so there is a bit more expectation. But I feel like I've had a really good pre-season, haven't really missed any sessions. I'm fit, I'm in a good spot," Callaghan said.
"I'm happy to start the year well but I've got to keep building and hopefully we'll be playing our best football towards the end of the year.
"It's a great way for us to start. We got our hunt back on the opposition, really got after them, pressure was up.
"But we've got to keep it up for six, seven more months. This is only the start."
