Young star Jeremy Cameron knocked back a seven-year offer from Adelaide to stay with Greater Western Sydney in the AFL.
Cameron agreed to a monster five-year deal with the Giants, understood to be worth around $4 million.
But the Crows apparently were willing to offer even more to tempt Cameron away from GWS.
There was also plenty of interest from Victorian clubs in the 21-year-old, who is from the country town of Dartmoor, and his re-signing is a major coup for the Giants.
It will now have a domino effect at the expansion club, with several team-mates expected to also re-commit.
GWS will confirm Cameron’s new deal at a media conference on Friday, where they will announce at least one other player re-signing and a new major co-sponsor of the club.
Cameron is the game’s top young key forward and the new deal means he will be with the Giants at least until 2020.
Two years ago, he was the first Giant to make the All-Australian team and also won the club best and fairest award.
He has led their goalkicking in all three seasons since they joined the AFL, kicking 120 goals over 51 matches.
Cameron only managed 14 games last year because of repeated ankle injuries, but he still managed 29 goals.
Tom Boyd’s stunning move to the Western Bulldogs means Cameron will potentially have to shoulder more of the goalkicking load, given Jonathon Patton will not return from a knee reconstruction until mid-season..
Cameron’s season last year ended in round 14 and he will return to the team for Saturday’s NAB Challenge match against Gold Coast at Blacktown.
Prize Giants recruits Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull will also make their debuts for the club in Saturday’s game.
Midfielder Griffen joined from Western Bulldogs and defender Patfull from Brisbane.
“It’s terrific to have Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull ready to play their first games for the Giants and they’ll add further experience to our young team,” Giants coach Leon Cameron said.
Defender Phil Davis, who signed a contract extension earlier this week, and fellow co-captain Callan Ward, were named in the squad.
Another prominent player named is 2013 All-Australian forward Jeremy Cameron, who ended last year on the injury list.
IanW
Guest
Sunshine is already locked up till 2017 ;)
Max
Guest
The Fairfax Fin Review writes an article on page 2 saying that the Giants are a basket case - page 2!!!! when they are marginally losing money but in it for the long term - the Nine Network tieup with Fairfax press for Stan may be a hint here
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Woohoo. Great news for the Giants. Cameron is a star and having played with the Giants since the beginning it would have been sad to see him leave. He is a rare talent that the Giants need to keep.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Good work Jeremy Cameron. I would like to have read of a Dockers offer of a 9 year deal, but it's obviously a great sign for the Giants future prospects that both Cameron and Patton have committed to them for the next few years. It may also increase the chance of sunshine in the west in the medium term should the conditions be right.
Ryan Buckland
Expert
This is a huge deal, and for mine confirms something I started suspecting when Sydney signed Franklin for 9 years/$10m: clubs are banking on a massive lift in the salary cap when the next broadcast deal is signed towards the end of this year. This would be the third million plus per year deal signed in recent years, and there will probably be more to come.