Stephen Coniglio might not play much of a part in the GIANTS' finals series unless his team wins a couple of matches, but the vice-captain's re-signing gave the club a massive boost on Tuesday night.
Coniglio's loyalty in penning a new seven-year contract with the GIANTS was announced at the club's annual pre-finals dinner, attended by players and their partners, as well as some staff and officials.
The 25-year-old star midfielder had already spoken to coach Leon Cameron and key members of the GIANTS' front office team but left it to close mate Heath Shaw to deliver the news the entire organisation had been waiting for.
The reaction was everything you'd expect it to have been.
"Shawry got up and sold it like he was going to retire, then announced that I was staying," Coniglio said with a laugh on Wednesday.
"Everyone erupted.
"That was a really special moment to see what it meant to a lot of people."
Coniglio has been an important member of the GIANTS organisation since he walked into the AFL's newest club after being taken with pick No.2 in the 2011 NAB AFL draft.
He's not only one of the club's best players, he plays a crucial role in spreading the game in GIANTS territory in western Sydney in his role as an AFL ambassador.
He's not only a star of Leon Cameron's team, he's embedded in the club, which helped make up his mind to stay in Sydney.
"The story has been such a beautiful one (at the GIANTS) so far, and I wanted to continue that," he said.
"Never in my wildest dreams growing up did I think I'd be a one-club player at such a special club like this.
"We want to be the biggest and most powerful sporting club in Australia.
"To be able to create that from the start, and continue that, was the main reason I stayed.
"I'm happy here and I want to keep growing my legacy, and our legacy as a football club.
"The club has been a fantastic place for me to grow as a person and a player and I just want to give back as much as possible."
Like teammate Josh Kelly in 2016, Coniglio hasn't let the speculation over his future affect his footy, and if he hadn't injured his knee against Richmond in round 17, he'd be a leading contender for this year's Brownlow Medal, among other individual honours.
However, while he's looked like he handled the situation with ease, Coniglio said the past 48 hours has been emotional, and there were times when the pressure caused him some anxiety.
"It wasn't until I FaceTimed my Mum and Dad and told them the news on Monday night, that I was overcome with emotion," he said.
"There were a couple of times too throughout the process that I did feel for my teammates having to worry, or continually get asked about why it was taking so long.
"Or walking around the corridors and thinking is this guy staying or is he leaving?
"That was the only time it really got to me."
There's little doubt that Coniglio's deal, the longest in the club's short history, is a lucrative one, but he's also lost out on millions in rejecting the overtures of opposition clubs, namely Carlton and Hawthorn, who were talked about as the GIANTS' main rivals.
He said the money talk never got communicated to him until later in the season through his management, and even when it did, it didn't sway his decision.
"I never believed I'd be worth something like that," he said.
"My parents have always said, being happy is what's most important in life.
"There were a couple of really attractive offers and obviously have some personal ties with friends at other clubs.
"When I got injured I was maybe questioning if I should try something different.
"I moved to Sydney when I was 17, so (I was thinking) should I go to Perth or should I go to Melbourne for a different experience?
"That opportunity was appealing at times but the inner belief I have in this group hasn't wavered in terms of my expectations and where I think we can get to.
"As the year went on I started to read less and less on Twitter and I saw a couple of articles that were way off the mark, but it was an interesting process.
"I'm glad it's done."
