WHILE it seems a certainty that he will remain a Giant, Dylan Shiel still hasn't put pen to paper less than a month out from the start of the season.
Shiel is due to come out of contract at the end of this year, but as he did when he spoke to AFL.com.au in January at the GWS season launch, he said he's happy in Sydney and hoping to finalise his future soon.
The 23-year-old will play his first game of the season in Friday night's JLT Community Series game against the Swans in Blacktown, and is set to line up alongside 2016 draftees Tim Taranto and Will Setterfield in the midfield.
Both teenagers impressed in their senior debuts against West Coast a fortnight ago, and Shiel was one of many to sit up and take special notice of their performances.
"I was really impressed but really stressed too, because I was thinking my position was in a bit of danger," he said with a laugh.
"Tim Taranto has been fantastic, the boys around here call him the weapon because he's a bit of a specimen, and the way he goes about his footy is just elite.
"Will (Setterfield) is a fellow Caulfield Grammarian boy so I'd expect nothing less of him.
"I like to spend time with all the young boys over pre-season, not just from a football point of view, but from an off-field point of view as well, developing relationships.
"That's the importance of building a good footy club is building relationships with the players coming into the club."
There's little doubt that speculation over Shiel's future – as well as that of teammates Josh Kelly, Devon Smith and Jacob Hopper – will continue until the Giants secure his prized signature, but the gun onballer said he's hoping to put those questions to bed before the club's round one clash with Port Adelaide.
"Like I said in a recent interview I'm not entertaining any offers from Victorian clubs," he said.
"I'm keen to stay a Giant, obviously it's a really exciting team to be part of, and I'm enjoying my football up here.
"I'm not trying to put any pressure on myself or the club, I think it will take its course. My manager is having conversations with the footy club and it's going pretty smoothly last time I checked.
"There's not really too much more to say."
Off-season surgery to remove a bone spur from his right heel has hampered Shiel's summer, but after training solidly with the Giants' main group for the past month, he's ready to get his 2017 campaign started against the Swans.
"The body is feeling great and I'm looking forward to blowing out a few cobwebs," he said.
"That's what the JLT Series is for, to get some match fitness and try out our new structures and strategies, and test out a few things.
"I'm sure it's going to take a bit of time, but I'm feeling really good now, and should be good to go for round one."
