Right match or desperation? GWS interest in Essendon's Shiel unpacked
Yesterday at 09:38 PM
Reports emerged on Thursday that GWS is showing interest in having Essendon's Dylan Shiel back at the club.
Channel 7's Mitch Cleary has suggested that the Giants "will explore the possibility of a reunion with Dylan Shiel, who is open to a fresh start at another club".
Shiel, 31, started his career with GWS in 2012 and played 135 games before moving to the Bombers in the 2018 trade period. He has a year remaining on his current Dons deal and has been linked with St Kilda in recent times.
On AFL Trade Radio's The Early Trade, Sam Edmund and Kane Cornes discussed whether or not Shiel is the right match or a sign of desperation by the Giants who have lost Harry Perryman and could yet lose James Peatling, Isaac Cumming and Xavier O'Halloran, among others.
"Is this the right match? So Dylan Shiel is being courted by the Giants ahead of a potential reunion," Edmund said.
"I'm not not sure how often this has happened over the journey, when you go back to where it all began, but it does make a bit of sense, I think.
"He's got a year to run, he could have easily been a St Kilda player this year, he's remained open to a move should one present.
"With everything going on, maybe as many as seven players leaving the Giants, could it be the right match for Dylan Shiel to go back? Or is he still going to be down the pecking order of midfielders there?"
Cornes isn't in love with the move, but can see positives in it given the Giants are knocking on the premiership window and could acquire an experienced 220-game professional.
"You need a lot of them (midfielders) though, don't you?" Cornes said.
"So someone will get injured, we've seen what's happened with (Stephen) Coniglio.
"Is he going to be in your starting group of centre square players for Round 1 next year? Probably not, but is there going to be injuries along the way? And is he a good chance to play 15, 16, 17 games and be able to impact? He probably is, and they're just probably looking for any win that they can get at the moment.
"This is a side that is not rebuilding, they're ready to go. They would be the team that's kicking themselves the most after the lead they had against both the Grand Finalists.
"This isn't a rebuild team. This isn't 'we'll get some draft picks and we'll go again'. They're good to go now. Prelim final last year, what they did this year. It's not as if they're to go back, so they need to bring in some experience and some depth to that group.
"I don't love it, but I don't hate it because it's not going to cost them a whole lot. Dylan's probably looking for an extra year on his contract to give him an extra year's security, and he'll be backing himself in.
"He's an absolute professional, you know he's going to be terrific in the locker room, he's not going to be a distraction, he's going to train hard, he's going to set good standards for the young players.
"So in terms of a fit in the way that he plays, I don't love it, but in terms of the character that he is, and maybe the impact that he can have and the depth that he provides, maybe it is the right match."
Edmund then posed the possibility of it perhaps being a desperate move by GWS.
He said further: "Is it a little bit of desperation from GWS?
"There is an interest in Jake Stringer as well. So is it just getting all a little bit desperate up there?"
Cornes replied: "It might be what you have to do though, because premierships are hard to win.
"When you feel like you've got a squad that he is ready to go, and they've had enough draft picks come through. They've got Pick 14 as it stands, they've got Pick 34.
"They'll get a couple of good players there, and then whatever they get back, I'm not sure how fierce they're going to haggle with these players that are departing."
Shiel joined the Bombers in exchange for Pick 9 and a future first-rounder in the 2018 trade period.
He has played 85 games across six seasons in red and black, including nine this year where he averaged 21 touches.
