Star All Australian defender Sam Taylor has made a significant commitment to the club, re-signing with the GIANTS and extending his stay until at least the end of the 2032 season.

One of the best defenders in the competition, Taylor was out of contract at the end of 2025 when he would become a free agent, but the 25-year-old has already put pen to paper on a new seven-year deal.

GIANTS Executive General Manager of Football, Jason McCartney, said the signing is a significant coup for the club.

“It’s a really exciting day for our club,” McCartney said.

“Sam is a generational talent and has already proven himself as one of the best defenders in the competition in his career so far.

“He’s already an All Australian, club champion and leader of our club and is continually focused on bettering himself, so we can’t wait to see where his career at the club takes him.

“His commitment is a fantastic endorsement of our football program under Adam Kingsley and Toby Greene and we’re excited for the future.”

Selected at pick 28 in the 2017 Draft, the West Australian made his debut in round 11, 2018 playing eight games in his first season before solidifying his spot in 2019, playing 22 games including the 2019 AFL Grand Final.

A bout of septic arthritis that caused him to spend almost two weeks in hospital and lose 10 kilos in a week impacted his 2020 season before he returned to the game in 2021, playing 19 games and winning the club’s Coaches Award.

Taylor had a breakout season in 2022, named in his first All-Australian team and winning his first club champion award to solidify his status as one of the game's elite.

Another brilliant 2023 season had him firmly in the conversation for a second All-Australian blazer before a serious hamstring injury saw him fall short of the minimum 15 game requirement, while he hasn’t skipped a beat in 2024, proving his elite ability to both shut down his opponent and attack through his brilliant intercept skills.

This season Taylor is ranked first in the league for possession gains (9.1), first in one-on-one defensive contests (lost only 12%) and second in the league for intercept marks (4.4) - all ranked elite – while he is also above average for defensive 50 ground balls and spoils.