Nick Haynes Biography

Nick Haynes officially joins the Blues as an unrestricted free agent on a one-year deal after playing 211 games with GWS.

"Nick adds quality to our defensive group, bringing with him valuable experience at the highest level that will complement our back half," Carlton list boss Nick Austin said.

"Nick has shown a high amount of resilience throughout his career, which is a testament to his strong worth ethic and his durability is a key asset we are really looking to add to our playing list during the off-season."

Nick Haynes and Lachie Whitfield tie in the count for the Kevin Sheedy Medal as the Giants' best and fairest for the 2020 season.

Whitfield also makes Giants history by becoming the first player to win two best and fairests, following his 2018 gong.

"Nick has been a stalwart of our backline for years now and has always been incredibly highly valued internally with two top-five finishes before this year. He's once again taken his game to another level this year and thoroughly deserves the accolades that have come his way," Giants coach Leon Cameron said.

"Taking on an official leadership role ahead of this season shows his development off the field and on the field, we saw Lachie continue to show his class and work-rate across the entire season."

Nick Haynes is likely to miss several weeks after suffering a fractured larynx following a clash with Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli.

The athletic backman was felled by the late hit from Bontempelli and GWS received a down-the-ground free kick. He bravely played out the match to be one of the Giants' best with 26 possessions, nine marks and six rebound 50s.

"He saw a specialist and he's going to miss the next two weeks, if not up to four, so it's pretty disappointing for Nick," GWS footy boss Wayne Campbell said.

"Our doctors haven't seen an injury like it before."

Nick Haynes signs a new five-year deal with GWS to remain at the club until the end of 2024.

"I always knew that I wanted to be a one-club player so there wasn't much thinking to do when it came to my future," he said.

"I love Sydney and the club, and I think we're going to play a lot of finals footy over the next six years and I strongly believe that we're going to contend for premierships in every one of those years."

A rare season of luck with his body has allowed Nick Haynes to establish himself amongst the competition's best intercept defenders in 2018 while reaching his 100-game milestone this week.

"I grew up playing mostly as a forward and I was just used to never spoiling to be honest, so I always go for my marks when I can," Haynes said.

"But obviously there's a fine balance between the marking and spoiling because if you go for your mark and drop it, most times your opponent is front and square waiting for that soft drop.

"The coaching staff and the players around me give me confidence to do that and I have confidence in my judgement to pick the right moments."

Nick Haynes has been ruled out for about 10 weeks after suffering a hamstring tendon tear against the Western Bulldogs.

The 24-year-old landed awkwardly in the splits position following a one-on-one marking contest late in the final quarter at Manuka Oval and walked off the ground gingerly.

GWS say that Haynes will not need surgery to repair his hamstring at this stage.

Nick Haynes says he is not dwelling on his missed mark in the Giants' 2016 preliminary final that resulted in Jack Macrae kicking a crucial goal for the Bulldogs.

"There's obviously one or two things in a game that you look back on with regret, and I've talked to a few of the boys who feel the same," he said.

"Ultimately you make a decision and you have to live and die by the sword.

"I chose to come off my man because that’s how I play, and if I'd pulled down the mark it would have been great for the team, but I didn't and the ball trickled out and ended up with (Jack) Macrae.

"Leon (Cameron) didn't speak to me about it afterwards, I knew straight away after it happened and I think he saw that.

"There's a lot of instances in a game that can affect the result, so I don't dwell on that one decision, and you get over it pretty quick.

"All you can do is move on and hopefully more often than not you make the right decision when you come off your man."

Nick Haynes signs a new two-year deal with the Giants that will keep him at the club until the end of 2019.

"I've been here from the start and watched the club grow, and have spent five years with a lot of the same boys here," Haynes said.

"We were all young boys when we came into the competition and got belted around the park nearly every week, so we built a really special bond from that.

"At the end of the day I want to be here when we have success at this club in the years to come."

Defenders Adam Kennedy and Nick Haynes and ruckman Rory Lobb, who were all coming off contract at the end of next season, have extended their deals with the Giants until the end of 2017.

"Rory, Nick and Adam have shown great faith in the club and it's a further endorsement of the strong culture we have here at the Giants," chief executive Dave Matthews said.

Nick Haynes and Nathan Wilson sign new two-year deals with GWS.

"As time's gone on I've become more used to Sydney and I love the city and love playing for the club," Haynes said.

"We've got new facilities coming along at Sydney Olympic Park, which will be top of the line and will be great for the future, and we've got a lot of talent on our list."

Nick Haynes makes his AFL debut for GWS at Kardinia Park with 8 disposals (6 kicks and 2 handballs), 3 marks and 5 tackles in a 65-point loss to Geelong.