The AFL’s hottest free agent says helping his club find its feet under a new coach is a bigger priority than securing a new lucrative contract.
GWS swingman Harry Himmelberg wouldn’t be drawn on his long-term plans on Friday, with reports suggesting as many as 10 teams are queuing up for signature when he becomes a restricted free agent after this season.
His stocks are only rising after a match-winning performance against Hawthorn last weekend, kicking a go-ahead goal in the dying minutes before crucially rushing a behind to save the game.
But as the Giants begin life under new boss Adam Kingsley, Himmelberg said he couldn’t afford to turn his mind to contract talk.
“For me, it’s pretty easy, it’s more so tough on my manager … he’s the one that has to deal with it all, he just lets me play footy and focus on footy and that’s what I’m doing at the moment,” he said.
“New coaches, new system, so I’m concentrating on learning that more so than worrying about contract stuff.
“I just want to play good footy and I want to win.
“The best I can do is play good footy and if I’m worried about that stuff, I feel like that’s probably going to hinder that.”
The ability he showed to impact the game at both ends is exactly what makes him so appealing to other clubs and could be a factor against Brisbane at Manuka Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Himmelberg looks poised to pair with Jesse Hogan and start up forward, but he could yet be dragged back to play on Lions’ power duo Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood.
He said he had no preference where he played moving forward, although joked it would be hard to say no to a few goals if the side was winning games and moving the ball well inside 50.
“I did the full pre-season in the forward line and there’s the option to go back now which is handy,” Himmelberg said.
“Being fluid in that and mentally ready to go back if I have to helps.”
All GWS games this season have been decided by 19 points or less but they’ve only won two of them, something the key man said showed they were constantly up for the fight.
“We’re going well … it’s going to take time and we haven’t put together a four-quarter performance yet this year, there’s going to be lapses in that new game style and sort of adjusting to it,” Himmelberg said.
“But we’re definitely getting there and we’ve been in every game we’ve played, we haven’t haven’t been blown out of the water.
“It might take the whole year to get it right but we’re on the right track.”
It’s the Giants’ first Canberra home game for the year and they’ll need to address their recent poor form in the capital, having lost their last seven outings at Manuka Oval.
By Alex Mitchell in Canberra
