GWS Giants urged to explore Coniglio trades

Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes says a trade for Stephen Coniglio away from the GWS Giants would help both the player and the club after two torrid seasons.

Coniglio turned down a chance to leave the club at the end of 2019, signing a monster seven-year deal to captain the AFL's youngest club, but has struggled since.

After being axed in his first season as captain in 2020, Coniglio has missed the majority of 2021 and seen the Giants rally around stand-in captain Toby Greene while he has been sidelined.

Despite being just two years into a seven-year deal, Cornes urged the two parties to explore a move at the end of the year.

"He needs a fresh start," he told Nine's Footy Classified.

"I think Fremantle is an obvious place for him and a destination that would work for both clubs.

"I think it would be best for him and the club. He needs to explore going to another club.

"[The extension] was two years ago, things change and you fall out of favour with the coach. A fresh start and a new environment would work exceptionally well for him."

Cornes' call comes as Coniglio looks set to lose his role as the sole captain of the Giants next season, despite initially balking at the prospect of being co-captains alongside Phil Davis.

"I think he might have to come around to [the idea of co-captaincy]," The Age's Sam McClure told Footy Classified.

"As we sit here tonight, there is a really strong chance that Toby Greene will be co-captain with him next year."

After a player vote was disregarded in the process of naming Coniglio the Giants' skipper at the end of 2019, Essendon great Matthew Lloyd suggested that the players should have the power this time around.

"At the end of the year, whether he's captain or not, I think they've got to weigh that up," he told Footy Classified.

"They should have a player vote this time around and if it falls all in Toby Greene's favour they shouldn't co-captain, they should say, 'Toby you're our man'. I think it'd be quite a strong stance for them as a footy club."

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