Andy Maher has revealed a conversation he had with a former teammate of GWS vice-captain Stephen Coniglio that indicated he is set to depart at season's end.
Carlton and Hawthorn have been heavily linked to the off-contract star with reports indicating the Blues are winning the race for his coveted signature if he was to leave the Giants.
Coniglio is currently sidelined with a serious knee injury and appears unlikely to return this season.
According to Maher’s source, the 25-year-old has played his final game for the Giants.
“There was a former teammate of Stephen Coniglio’s who yesterday I was having a chat to and he said that he will be playing next year, but it won’t be at the Giants,” Maher said on SEN’s Bob and Andy.
“If you believe what they’re telling you, Carlton’s money offer has been greater than what Hawthorn and the Giants have been prepared to bowl up.”
Terry Wallace feels the Hawks are already looking to clear the decks in order to land a marquee recruit like Coniglio.
“These premiership players are still on what I would think a reasonable earn,” Wallace said.
“I think they’re trying to clear the decks to have a crack at someone like a Coniglio, Jon Patton or a combination of players. I think that’s the way it’s looking to me.
“We’ve brought (Tom) Mitchell, (Chad) Wingard, (Tom) Scully and (Jaeger) O’Meara to the club, we’re going to continue to stack at that level and if it means that ageing generation has to move on, it has to move on.”
Coniglio has developed into one of the competition’s premier midfielders since he was selected by the Giants with pick No.2 in the 2011 AFL Draft.