Greater Western Sydney made an audacious bid late last year to entice Geelong's triple premiership defender Matthew Scarlett out of retirement in order to strengthen its defence for 2014.
Scarlett, 34, would have had to nominate for the pre-season draft to join the fledgling club but he was interested enough in the prospect to fly to Sydney to meet representatives of the GIANTS.
The six-time All Australian retired at the end of 2012 after 284 games with the Cats. He played in a premiership with South Barwon in the Geelong Football League in 2013.
The GIANTS rang him to see whether he thought he might have retired too early.
As reported in December, the club also sought out Cats' teammate Joel Corey – who retired at the end of 2013 after three premierships in 276 games – to ascertain whether he was interested in joining the club as a delisted free agent.
GIANTS CEO Dave Matthews confirmed to 3AW that the club put the question to Scarlett and Corey to see whether they were interested in coming out of retirement.
"We've really left no stone unturned... to see what sort of experience we could add," he said. "We thought nothing ventured, nothing gained. They are both great people and super players."
He said the club's experience with Chad Cornes, who joined the GIANTS after a stellar career at Port Adelaide, proved such players could add significant value.
The club has also had success with former Demon James McDonald, Brisbane Lion Luke Power and Port Adelaide's Dean Brogan joining the club in playing-coaching roles.
In the end Scarlett and Corey declined the offer and joined the Western Bulldogs as part-time assistant coaches alongside their mentor Brendan McCartney.
Matthews said the duo were closer to joining the GIANTS then anyone might have imagined when the approach was first made but pre-existing commitments were a significant factor in their decision to stay in Victoria.
The GIANTS have added experience to their backline with Collingwood's Heath Shaw leading a cast that included Scarlett’s former teammate Josh Hunt and ex-Bulldog Dylan Addison. It also gained former Sydney Swans Shane Mumford and Jed Lamb.
Essendon great Tim Watson was lured out of retirement by the Bombers in 1993 after a year out of the game and played in the club's flag that season. Paul Salmon and Tony Lockett are other players to come out of retirement and return to play in the AFL.
