Dale Thomas signs new Collingwood deal - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Dale Thomas signs new Collingwood deal

Guy Hand 02/09/2011 12:53:39 PM Comments (0)

Another Greater Western Sydney target is out of reach, with Collingwood securing midfield star Dale Thomas to a new two-year AFL deal.

Thomas confirmed his new contract on Friday, admitting he had rejected a bigger financial offer from the Giants to stay with the premiers.

It ends speculation the 24-year-old would be lured by a big-money offer from GWS to join the Giants for their inaugural season in 2012.

"I'm rapt to finally put pen to paper," Thomas said.

"It's probably taken longer than we thought but I'm very happy with the end result."

Thomas admitted he and his management had spoken to the Giants earlier this year, and the club had offered more money than the Pies.

"The decision wasn't made on numbers ... the offer (from GWS) was greater than what I've signed for," Thomas said.

"The decision was made a lot easier by the club I'm at now.

"Obviously, we're a very strong and powerful club and, at the minute, we're up at the right end of the ladder.

"The position we've come off last year with winning a premiership and the group we've got that hopefully can go forward and win another one - that makes it a hell of a lot easier."

Thomas hopes his decision will help keep Collingwood's talented core of players together for further premiership tilts.

Already, midfield guns Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury have pledged their futures to the Magpies, though Pendlebury is only signed until the end of next year.

"Hopefully, what Swanny (Dane Swan), Pendles (Scott Pendlebury) and myself have done in re-signing ... can really send a positive message to the younger boys coming through," Thomas said.

"Not only should your decision be about the money side of things, but about the success and the premierships that are what you come to clubs for."

That now leaves Western Bulldogs midfielder Callan Ward and Melbourne's Tom Scully as the most likely high-profile players to be snared by the Giants for 2012.

Neither has signed a new deal at their current club.

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