Josh Kelly's price tag, and his ability to handle the hype that accompanies it, has generated both humour and admiration from his Greater Western Sydney AFL teammates.
The classy 22-year-old midfielder is the subject of a reported nine-year $9 million bid by North Melbourne, the team he starred against in the Giants' win in Hobart last weekend.
Forward Jeremy Cameron revealed Kelly's teammates had dropped the odd quip about his value.
"It does pop up every now and then," Cameron said.
"Players like Shawy (Heath Shaw) and Mummy (Shane Mumford), just the usual suspects getting around him.
"But we love Josh. He's a really great person to have around the club, the way he goes about his footy as you can see.
"He was probably under the pump a little bit on the weekend and he just played a superb game."
Giants coach Leon Cameron said Kelly's performance against North showed his focus was on football and he remained confident the midfielder would sign a contract extension.
GWS are in the middle of a five-game block of matches away from their Spotless Stadium base, which is currently being used for the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
"We popped in there and had a look and it's pretty chewed up," Cameron said.
"It would be hard to get a few marks inside 50 there."
GWS host Port Adelaide on Saturday in Canberra, the Giants' secondary home base.
Cameron wasn't overly concerned about about not playing at their primary home ground for an unusually long period and the resultant early-season travel.
"It can be tough at times I guess, but at the start of the year you're fairly fresh," he said.
"So if there was a time where you did want to travel, I dare say it would be early on in the season.
"We were lucky enough to get one game there in round two this year which broke it up a little bit which was good.
"But Canberra is not too far away. It's only like a half-an-hour flight. Big Mummy cant even get a feed on the way up!
"A lot of guys do love playing there, so it makes it a lot easier."
