Search

show me:

Blues future not clouded by ban: Thomas

3 minute read

Carlton's Dale Thomas is open to extending his AFL career into the 2020 season and is confident a recent misdemeanour won't count against him.

DALE THOMAS of the Blues marks during the AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and the Carlton Blues in Melbourne, Australia.
DALE THOMAS of the Blues marks during the AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and the Carlton Blues in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Carlton veteran Dale Thomas is keen to play on next season and doesn't believe his recent club-imposed ban will hurt his chances of winning a new AFL deal.

Thomas was stood down from the round 11 clash with Essendon, Brendon Bolton's last in charge before his sacking, after he drank several glasses of wine at a charity function two days before a loss to St Kilda.

Thomas, who turns 32 this month and is out of contract at the end of the season, is confident the incident won't overshadow talks about extending his career.

"I think from the football club's and a holistic point of view, one misdemeanour doesn't outweigh the good that I've done and the things that I've been able to do over the (time) that I've been here," Thomas said on Tuesday.

"It obviously wasn't ideal, the timing was shocking and I put my hand up for that; and if I could change it I would but I can't.

"All I can do is put my best foot forward.

"You would like to think that, although in this industry common sense isn't that common, that it would prevail at some point."

Thomas is confident he's playing well enough to continue but is also comfortable that a decision won't be made until later in the year.

Thomas is set to play his 250th AFL match when Carlton host the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

It will be his 93rd game for the club since his high-profile, late-2013 switch from Collingwood - where he was part of the 2010 premiership side.

The Blues haven't played finals since then and Thomas struggled with form and injury at stages early on but he's proud of the impact he's had at the club.

"It certainly didn't go to plan," he said.

"If you had a magic crystal ball and you could look at, it would have been onwards and upwards and my career would've just kept flourishing but I understand that's life.

"Sometimes you get kicked down, sometimes you get picked back up again, so I'm proud that I get to sit here and talk about playing 250 AFL games.

"I've got up more than I've been kicked down."

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au