GREATER Western Sydney will look to kickstart discussions with uncontracted duo Lachie Ash and Harry Himmelberg in the coming weeks, confident in the long-term vision it is selling the impressive duo.
Ash, who was recruited to the club with the No.4 pick in the 2019 draft, has returned to the backline this season after spending time in a variety of positions including a handful of tagging jobs under Leon Cameron and interim coach Mark McVeigh last year.
Now settled as a running defender under first-year coach Adam Kingsley, where he had flourished as a junior prospect, the Giants are keen to secure the signature of the uncontracted youngster.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable earlier this week, Giants footy boss Jason McCartney opened up on why Ash had elected to park talks throughout the early stages of the season and elaborated on the sell to keep the 21-year-old.
"Talks are progressing," McCartney said.
"He just wanted some time. I can understand and appreciate that one, because he's probably wanted to have a look at where he fits in terms of the position and just getting settled again.
"Obviously, he started his AFL career really positively as a half-back. We probably needed him, by necessity, to be used in some other roles. There was midfield and some run-with roles and there were some forward roles. It's part of the evolution.
"He's in his fourth season now, we've settled him down back, so over this next couple of weeks we'll catch up with Hemisphere Management Group and work through a couple of these boys and Lachie is no different.
"Nothing's changed. It's been consistent. I've known that, we've all known that at the club that it was probably going to be around that halfway point of the year that we'd have more meaningful conversations."
Himmelberg, capable of playing as a key-position option at either end of the field, has emerged as one of the League's most sought-after free agents this season and is expected to receive significant rival interest throughout the year.
The Giants are prepared to offer Himmelberg a five-year contract to secure his signature, with talks surrounding his future at the club also expected to begin ramping up during their round 15 bye week.
The restricted free agent has also elected to parks discussions throughout the early stages of the year, with McCartney revealing the club hopes to settle the 27-year-old in the backline with the aim of retaining him.
"Hopefully he's been able to see we've had a shift in what we're trying to do, he's seen that we've been really competitive, the competition is very even, and excited by some of the young players we've brought in and our style of play," McCartney said.
"Hopefully he's realising and he's seeing that there's still a bit of work to do, but you're never that far away. We feel we're not that far away by our performances this year. We would expect that even our second half of the year would be stronger than the first half of the year.
"Obviously, he's played a variety of roles. Before the concussion two weeks ago, we got him down back. We'll probably look to settle him down there in the next few weeks."
