Pies put their faith in Thomas

[DThomas]

Pies put their faith in Thomas

COLLINGWOOD'S highest profile young player Dale Thomas has become the latest in a string of Magpies to be secured until at least 2011, as the club seeks to protect key talent from the Gold Coast and other predators.

Thomas, 21, is set to sign a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Collingwood until the end of 2011, with the Magpies having secured another key player, Heath Shaw, on a three-year deal. Shaw will be under contract until the end of 2012, which would also take him out of the west Sydney club's reach, assuming that the 18th club enters the competition on schedule.

Last year, the Magpies re-signed their premier midfielders Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan and defender Harry O'Brien on three-year deals — like Thomas, all of them are contracted until the end of 2011. The Magpies also have just re-signed captain Nick Maxwell on a two-year extension that will keep him at the club until the same point — the end of the 2011 season.

Alan Didak is contracted until the end of 2010, having opted to sign only a two-year deal during 2008.
The Magpies, like many clubs, are conscious of the impact of the Gold Coast on the uncontracted market place — not simply that a player can be lost, but the inflationary effect of having a new club that is permitted to sign one player from each of the existing 16 clubs. While the new club, expected to be coached by former Magpie assistant Guy McKenna, can only sign one player per club, clubs understand it can significantly boost the asking price of any player coming out of contract.

Thomas is regarded as perhaps Collingwood's most marketable player, and he is one of few players on the club's list with a capacity to earn money outside football through endorsements and commercials.
The 21-year-old utility, who has been used in a variety of roles this year, including as a forward with a brief to restrict an opposition playmaker, has been steady rather than spectacular this season, averaging more than 18 disposals per game. He has played in five of the six matches this season, missing the round-two game due to injury.

Thomas, the No. 2 pick in the 2005 national draft, has played 68 games for Collingwood since his debut in 2006.

Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert would not comment on Thomas or any other contracts last night, the club having said from the start of this season that it would not discuss the future of senior coach Mick Malthouse, who is uncontracted at season's end, in the media.

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Good to see that the Gold Coast can't get their greedy paws all over him now!

 

[Kirby]

That's good to hear!

 

[half_back_flank]

Great news....another key player secured for the future

 

[Dogs_Playing_Poker]

Good news, next step secure Beamer!

 

[well left]

Good news. I really think we are starting to see the development of Thomas this year. As the report says he has been solid rather than spectacular but that is because he is now being given some responsibility rather than being the flashy player.

His role this year has been similar to how Carlton used Gibbs last year IMO and whilst we have been a little slow in doing so we are now starting to develop Thomas better and I think he will push more and more into the midfield later this year and again next year.

He's an intriguing prospect Thomas - for such an exciting player he may just be a slow burner in development and we may not see the best of him until 2010-11.

 

[half_back_flank]

Good news, next step secure Beamer!

I have a feeling that we may be waiting for this one for a while.

 

[smiddaz123]

Thomas will more than likely develop dimilarly to how Davis has. Slowly getting all aspects of him game right so it all falls into place.

I think you can tell when he has been told to work on something. I remember whenever he got within 50 metres he'd have a shot at the goals.

When he outmakred the Roos defender and ran into a simple goal, but handballed to MacAffer when it was actually a more risky play, said to me that he has been told to try to give it off more.

Eventually that kind of decision making will be second nature to him.

Personally I'd love to see him working on his set shots. I can't remember seeing a player with so much right to left on their kick.

 

[Stifler's mom]

Doesn't mean we can't/won't trade him though.

 

[Optimax]

For a year we can tell he is really pushing himself defensively and admittedly not taking a stranglehold of matches, averaging 18 touches a game is rather good

 

[mattys123]

The "new" Dale Thomas is a player who is building a long term career.

He is developing into a player who no longer relies on getting the ball 20+ times a match, or creating several goal opportunites to be worth his place in the side.

This year, he has developed a completely new defensive role, that of the defensive half forward, playing on the "quarterback" of the opposition (Drummond, Dempsey so far, Goddard, Hodge to come).

"Daisy" is now just as important to our team structure as a Didak, Medhurst or Davis have become, and he has done this with 4-5 years of age on these players.

Dale Thomas is a very important, and very good player now, who can hurt opposition teams in 2 forms, defense and attack, which is very rare for half forwards in the current game.

Great news that we have signed him up, my only concern is most of these contracts seem to run out at the end of 2011, placing these players firmly in the sights of the Western Sydney side.

 

[wixism]

Good news

 

[Quicky]

For a year we can tell he is really pushing himself defensively and admittedly not taking a stranglehold of matches, averaging 18 touches a game is rather good

And if you took out the Drummond game it would be well over 20. I think he has played every role he has been given this year really well. His work rate is really good and he'll always improve if he keeps it up. I really hope he can step up and be that classy outside mid we really need to become a better team. Next thing Daisy needs to work on is being smarter where and when he runs. He has a great workrate but really burns it by trying too much or getting unneccesarily tired. I get the feeling he'll be a very very good player but one always limited by bad footskills.

 

[jimmy35]

I hope he repays the faith .

 

[DThomas]

I hope he repays the faith .

The way he is going at the moment he is going to overpay us.

 

[HFF]

Great to see the club beginning to lock away the stars.

I'm very relaxed with GC17 poaching players.

I have no doubt that we will NOT lose any of our current our up and coming stars i.e. Beams, Rusty etc.

I think if we are to lose somebody it will most likely be moreso a second-string type ala Shannon Cox type.

 

[Swanny36]

I hope he repays the faith .

Don't worry he will....I have no doubts about it.

 

[DThomas]

Now it is official, Thomas has signed a two year contract along with Heath Shaw signing a 3 year contract:

Thomas, Shaw commit to Magpies

Collingwood has secured the services of two of its best young players, with Dale Thomas committing to the Magpies until the end of 2011 and Heath Shaw signing on until the end of 2012.

21-year-old Thomas, who was the No.2 overall pick in the 2005 draft, has notched 68 games after debuting in round one of the 2006 season, while 23-year-old Shaw, the son of former Magpie captain Ray and a father-son selection back in 2003, has played 73 games since debuting towards the end of the 2005 season.

The signings continue a period where Collingwood has been able to secure the immediate playing futures of some of its most important players, with Shaw and Thomas joining captain Nick Maxwell and midfield stars Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury as players who have recently committed to new contracts with the club.

“It gives you confidence and I am just glad that the club has put that confidence back in me”, Thomas told CTV after the announcement.

“I think when you get drafted you want to stay at one team and sometimes that doesn’t eventuate, but hopefully I can still play the rest of my days here.”

Thomas believes that the future is bright for the club, particularly with a number of his team mates having recently committed to new contracts.

“If you look over history the teams that have played good finals footy are the ones that have stuck together and hopefully we can do that.”

Shaw, who has overcome a hamstring problem and returns to the side for Monday night’s clash with the Saints, is delighted that he’ll continue to represent one of the most famous Collingwood families.

“There is a bit of family history at Collingwood. I was never going anywhere so it’s good to get the three years locked away and concentrate on getting back on the track,” Shaw told CTV.

“I am happy where I am. I love Melbourne and I love the Collingwood Football Club.

“I wanted to have a really good 2009 and I maybe trained a bit too hard sustaining a few little injuries at the start of the year. Hopefully they are behind me now and I am looking forward to the rest of the year."

Collingwood's chief of football Geoff Walsh told collingwoodfc.com.au that the club expects Thomas and Shaw to be important players for many years.

“It’s always good to be able to re-sign players the quality of Heath and Dale,” Walsh said.

“They’re both young players who have made their mark on the footy club in a short period of time, and we expect them to be part of the nucleus of our side going forward for the next five to eight years.”

Full story here