The injured forward is the first in a long list of Giants due to come out of contract next year to re-commit to the Giants.

Patton would have been one of the most keenly sought after players next year until he hurt his knee last week, and is now off the market entirely.

News of his signature comes as Collingwood chief Gary Pert said the Giants' playing list had the greatest potential for success and was the club most feared by Collingwood and other Melbourne-based clubs.

Pert said while Sydney and Hawthorn had the best teams now, the Giants were the team on the rise.

"If you want us to talk about who is the list that worries us into the future as the Hawthorns and Sydneys drop off - and it's a compliment to the people in this room - but we're worried about GWS," he said at a Giants function on Friday.

"We see this scarily amazing growth and development coming through. We remember what Wayne Carey looked like when he played one or two seasons and we see what they [GWS] look like.

"As we build our young list we're in a race with certain clubs - GWS being one - when can we get our young list and players to a point where we win a premiership, keeping in mind GWS, Gold Coast and these clubs are coming fast."

GWS is well placed to avoid the wooden spin this year, after collecting the dubious honour in its first two seasons.

Giants chief executive David Matthews said the club - 16th on the ladder with two rounds to go - had achieved a pass mark with five wins this year.

"I think we've made enormous progress on the field," he said. "That's what the fans have been wanting to see and I know the players play to win. They've had a satisfying year from the point of view of progressing as well.

"That's going to be something that's critical in keeping the group together - that we'll be far more competitive and win more often.

"We think under [coach] Leon Cameron we feel we have a great story to tell any young player, whether they're at our club or considering joining the club."

Matthews said the club, which recruited mature-age players Shane Mumford and Heath Shaw, would again be seeking experienced talent during the trade period at the end of the season.

Cameron said the Giants were expecting the tempo to rise another 30 per cent against an injury-hit Collingwood on Saturday compared with their win against Melbourne last weekend.

"We need to back up our performance," he said. "Collingwood know how to turn up the heat and it'll be interesting to see how we respond."