Dale Thomas (footballer)
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| Personal information | |
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| Birth | June 21, 1987 , Victoria |
| Recruited from | Gippsland Power |
| Height and weight | 184 cm / 80 kg |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 1, March 4, 2006, Collingwood vs. Adelaide, at Telstra Dome |
| Team(s) | Collingwood (2006-)
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| ¹ Statistics to end of Round 10, 2008 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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Dale Thomas (born 21 June 1987) is an Australian rules footballer for Collingwood in the Australian Football League.
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[edit] Career
[edit] Pre AFL
Dale Thomas grew up in Drouin with his mother Kaye and his sister Jessica. His parents got divorced when he was 13 years old. As a child he grew up idolising the Geelong Cats and Gary Ablett, hoping to one day play AFL football just like him. He played so well that when he was 13 years old many of his friends and team mates knew that he would become an AFL star. In 2003 he was selected in the Under-16 Vic Country squad playing on the wing, he was also selected in the 2005 Vic Country squad playing on the half forward flank. He was the Vice-Captain of the Gippsland Power squad in 2005, a goalkicker in 14 out of 18 games for them and Drouin Secondary College school captain in 2005. Thomas collected 20 disposals and kicked four goals in a best-on-ground performance in Gippsland Power’s TAC Cup premiership, and also won selection in the TAC Cup Team of the Year, prompting the Magpies to select him with their first pick, number two overall, in the 2005 AFL Draft.[1]
[edit] 2006
Thomas made his debut in the AFL in round one of the 2006 AFL Season, in Collingwood's match against the Adelaide Crows. Thomas gathered 16 possessions, kicked two goals and performed a spectacular mark on the shoulders of 2 Adelaide players. In Collingwood's round two win against Hawthorn gathered twenty possessions and was nominated for the 2006 AFL Rising Star award.
During the 2006 ANZAC Day match against Essendon Thomas was nominated for both Mark of the Year and Goal of the Year.
Thomas' season was marred by an injury to his collarbone on August 5, but returned to play in Collingwood's defeat in the 2006 First Elimination Final to the Western Bulldogs, where he took a spectacular mark.
[edit] 2007
During 2007, Thomas was played in a variety of positions including a regular role in the midfield and the forward line, and also instances in defence. He played every game in the 2007 season. He was considered a match-winner in the Round 1 fightback against the North Melbourne Kangaroos, and was also judged one of the best afield in Round 3 against the Richmond Tigers where he collected 25 disposals. After being injured three days earlier against the Port Adelaide Power, he battled in the traditional ANZAC Day game against the Essendon Bombers.
Highlights of the 2007 season came during the Sydney Swans match where Collingwood was considered underdogs with a depleted defence. Thomas recorded a career high 4 goals, and was thus awarded three Brownlow votes. He was also judged best afield by commentators against St Kilda where he recorded 18 possessions and 2 goals.
Most memorable, he slotted through a neat goal from the boundary line while being chased by two St Kilda players; commentators labelled it "Goal of the Year" until it was judged out-of-bounds, and this incident has since been imperative in the discussion of umpiring, and it has been dubbed "non-goal of the year". [2]. Thomas was a vital part of the Pies finals matches. His runs down the ground in the Semi Final and Preliminary Final are considered one of the most important things in the Pies win against West Coast and close loss against Geelong.
Thomas' year ended with a career-high four votes at the Brownlow count and placing sixth in the Copeland trophy count.
[edit] 2008
Thomas began his 2008 campaign with style in Dubai, where he took a traditional "specky" on the shoulders of his Adelaide opponent in Round 1 of the NAB Pre-Season. Three weeks later, he kicked a freakish goal against Port Adelaide during a practice match at Princes Park - as the ball was bounced in the goalsquare, Thomas dodged both ruckmen, jumped in the air and kicked the ball over his head through the goals, right on the siren.
Thomas was named in Mike Sheahan's "Top 50 Players" at number 49.
Thomas was named one of the best in Collingwood's opening game against Fremantle, after kicking two goals and collecting 15 disposals. Two weeks later, in Round 3 against Richmond, he kicked three goals, including a superb right-foot kick from the boundary line, dribbling through for a goal (nominated for, and winning, Goal of the Week), as well as taking a fantastic mark on the shoulders of Tiger Joel Bowden, resulting in a goal. Both pieces of play were nominated for Collingwood's new "Pie Plays of the Week" also. Thomas gained another nomination for Mark of the Week in the next around against Carlton, leaping high to take a great mark on the shoulders of both opponents and teammate Anthony Rocca.
Thomas was named in the extended squad for the Victorian team in the 150-year-anniversary AFL Tribute Match, to be played on May 10. He unfortunately didn't make the 25 man squad. [3] This is what he said after he found out he was named
"It would be fantastic to play in the match, because it's the first time State of Origin has been back for a while, and I remember growing up watching it on the telly so it would be great to be a part of. Hopefully I can get a kick, if I manage to get into the side. It's always good to play with great players, and in my first two years, I was lucky enough to play with Bucks (Nathan Buckley). To play on the same side as some of the greats of the game would just be a great thrill."
Thomas endured a heavily-publicized "form slump"[4] , the first of his career, after poor performances against North Melbourne, Essendon and Hawthorn, and averaging only 13 possessions. He returned after the Hall of Fame break by defying his critics with a 21-possession game, running mainly with St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo. [5]
In Thomas' 50th game he put in a performance that left supporters speechless. With 18 touches, playing on the 2007 Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel, in the Magpies 86 point mauling of the reigning premiers, to give the Cat's their first loss of the season and second loss in 28 matches. His opponent Bartel got 20 possessions but most of them were ineffective disposals and clanger kicks. In the last quarter Dale Thomas chased after the loose ball on the fifty metre ark, ran in ten metres, and kicked a checkside goal that dribbled through from the boundary, with a Geelong opponent closing in on him. It was nominated for Goal of the Week (Round 9). [6]
Dale Thomas followed up his good form with another strong performance in the Magpies 100 point thrashing of West Coast. Thomas had 20 possessions and three goals. His first goal of the day is a contender for the 2008 Goal of the Year. He received a handpass from teammate Rhyce Shaw while on the run 100 metres out from goal. He collected the ball ran 60 metres weaving in and out of Eagle's opponents, took 4 bounces and slotted it through 40 metres out, kicking it just before getting tackled, celebrating his brilliant goal on his knees. [7] He also received a cut lip which required stitches. [8]
[edit] Trivia
- He has developed many nicknames like "Daisy", "DT", "Thommo", "Sparky", "Floppy" and "Floppos" amongst the Collingwood faithful. This is in part to his trademark flowing hair and name.
- He has won the Mark of the Week three times.He has also won Goal of the Week once.
- He owns a racehorse with some friends called Royal Riff Raff, which is sponsored by the Royal Hotel in Drouin. It also won the Drouin Cup on Boxing Day 2007.[9]
- He was one of four school captains at Drouin Secondary College in 2005.[10]
- In the TAC Cup 2005 Grand Final he won best on ground with 4 goals and 20 disposals. He took a high flying specky in the second quarter, and kicked a dribbling goal from the boundary. [11] He was also named as an All-Australian in the 2005 Under-18 Championships as a half forward flank, in which he represented Vic Country.[12]
- His sister, Jessica Thomas, plays for Gippsland Storm.
- He stated in an issue of Alpha Magazine that he cuts his own hair.
- He has been on the front cover of Collingwood's, Black and White Magazine and sport magazine, Alpha Magazine.
- He won a NAB Rising Star nomination in Round 2, 2006. [13]
- His middle initial are R J.[14]
- While on a surfing trip with friends at Cape Patterson near Inveloch, he saw a shark fin about 15 metres away from his surf board. He said that he was "absolutely shitting myself." Upon seeing the shark he left the water very quickly, swimming 85 metres to the shore.
- Shane O'Bree mentioned on the Round 11 edition of The Squawk (a weekly radio show featuring Collingwood players) that Dale Thomas recently got a girlfriend.
[edit] References
- ^ footydraft.com (2005). 2005 Mock AFL Draft Player Bio Dale Thomas.
- ^ Real Footy (14 July, 2007). Pies' lucky No. 13.
- ^ Herald Sun. Hall of Fame Tribute Match: Victoria.
- ^ Herald Sun. Magpie strugglers on last chance.
- ^ The Age. A doubting Thomas is back in form.
- ^ realfooty.com.au. Magpies swoop to leave Cats flat-footed.
- ^ realfooty.com.au. On-song Magpies crush one-hit wonders.
- ^ Herald Sun. Daisy pushing up to best form.
- ^ virtualformguide.com. The Virtual FormGuide - Form History for Royal Riff Raff.
- ^ sporttalk.com.au. Top 10 AFL Rising Stars of 2006.
- ^ smh.com.au. Thomas wins it for Gippsland.
- ^ afana.com. Magpie Dale Thomas was the Round 2 Rising Star nominee.
- ^ afl.com.au. Thomas lands Rd 2 Rising Star.
- ^ virtualformguide.com. The Virtual FormGuide - Form History for Royal Riff Raff.
[edit] External links
- Dale Thomas (footballer) profile on the Official AFL Website of the Collingwood Football Club
- Dale Thomas (footballer)'s statistics from AFL Tables
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