GWS has joined the list of clubs monitoring St Kilda midfielder Marcus Windhager, who remains unsigned beyond the 2025 season.

Foxfooty.com.au understands the Giants are closing in on a pitch to lure the 22-year-old to western Sydney, as he weighs up a two-year deal currently on the table from the Saints.

Windhager played junior football alongside GWS star on-baller Finn Callaghan, with the pair selected in the 2021 National Draft.

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As revealed by foxfooty.com.au in May this year, the former Sandringham Dragons product is eager to spend more time in the midfield as a genuine ball-winner, having spent much of his career to date in a tagging role.

The Giants’ interest comes amid a growing belief among rival recruiters that Windhager’s defensive discipline and untapped midfield potential make him a valuable acquisition at such a young age.

With the likes of senior Giants players such as Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly in or entering the twilight phase of their career, a spot in Adam Kingsley’s midfield full-time as a dynamic ball-winner could well appeal to the young Saint.

Windhager has played all of St Kilda’s 21 games this season, recording the second-highest disposal tally of his 73-game career in Round 22 against Richmond.

“He’s been known to shut some players down and some big, big scalps across the year, but his offensive game (against Richmond), he’s got no run-with … he’s been pivotal,” former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon told Fox Footy last Saturday.

Four-time Hawthorn premiership star Jordan Lewis added: “What you learn through doing those roles is you learn where to run and where to get the ball … he’s finally been released from that job.

“He knows where to run now, he’s like ‘this is beautiful, I’ve upskilled myself this year, and now it’s my turn to get some disposals’.”

Windhager finished with 32 disposals, nine marks, four score involvements and six tackles against the Tigers.

He is one of several Saints still out of contract heading into the end of the 2025 home-and-away season, alongside Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Dougal Howard.