Ex-AFL star Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas hits the track at VAFA club
Former Collingwood and Carlton star Dale Thomas has trained at a powerhouse Melbourne club, sparking whispers he will be pulling on the boots for the team in 2020.
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Dale “Daisy’’ Thomas will play for Drouin this year.
But despite the speculation swirling in the VAFA, he’s unlikely to play for Premier powerhouse St Kevin’s.
The former Collingwood and Carlton dasher trained at St Kevin’s on Tuesday night, fuelling talk he will line up for Skob this year.
But Thomas, who lives a short distance from the St Kevin’s ground, TH King Reserve, said today he took to the track for a “kick and catch’’ with his former Blues teammate Patrick Kerr, who has joined the club.
“I went down to training — Patty Kerr, ex-Carlton teammate — it’s his old school and mob,’’ Thomas said.
“He’s playing there and I said, ‘Look, do you reckon they’d facilitate me coming down just to purely have a kick and a catch to keep the fitness up?
“If they were happy in return I’d give them a chop-out with some of their junior stuff or some of the twos or even the senior stuff if I see anything or can help out anywhere.
“It’s a non-playing role. I’m on a train-on list.
“I did tell my mates I’d always have a kick with them back home in Drouin, so I think I’m there for Round 1, but (as) a one-off, and potentially down in Ararat on Good Friday.’’
He said he would be busy with his Triple M special comments most of the year.
Although some St Kevin’s officials harbour hopes that Thomas, 32, will make some cameos for the club, coach Guy Martyn is less optimistic.
Martyn confirmed Thomas trained with Skob, was mates with Kerr and lived close to the ground.
“But he (Thomas) also said that he’s got three games lined up with three other clubs and that he’s not keen on playing any more as he’s trying to establish his media career,’’ he said.
Asked if Thomas would play, Martyn said: “No, he won’t. Hasn’t been discussed at all.’’
St Kevin’s has already recruited three players straight from AFL lists – 2016 Western Bulldogs premiership player Tom Boyd, Carlton forward Kerr and Essendon’s Tom Jok.
Boyd will and Kerr will join another former AFL star, Jarrad Waite, and amateurs sharpshooter Billy Kanakis in a powerful forward line.
On the minus side, former West Coast Eagle Mitch Brown, one of the VAFA’s leading players, is taking a season off.
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Thomas retired from the AFL at the end of last season, after a 258-game career that took in Collingwood’s 2010 premiership.
After 157 games with the Pies from 2006-2013, he crossed to Carlton, where he played another 101 matches.
There has been a surge of former AFL players joining the VAFA for 2020. Aside from Boyd, Kerr and Jok hooking up with St Kevins, former Saint David Armitage and ex-Hawk David Mirra will play with Collegians; Hawthorn premiership tall Ryan Schoenmakers and 2016 Sydney Swans grand final player Xavier Richards are at Old Xaverians; ex-Gaint and Hawk Jon O’Rourke has linked with Caulfield Grammarians; and delisted Demon Jay Kennedy-Harris is a key inclusion for reigning premier Uni Blues.