Carlton coach Brendon Bolton says he wants Dale Thomas to play for Blues next year

CARLTON coach Brendon Bolton is adamant he wants Dale Thomas to sign on again with the Blues and has given his take on a possible Bryce Gibbs trade.

Dale Thomas of the Blues celebrates a goal.

DALE Thomas will be at Carlton next year, with coach Brendon Bolton adamant he is keen for the Blues utility to sign on again.

Thomas voided a games-based contract clause earlier in the year to ensure he was picked only on merit.

He ended up playing 18 games — enough to tick off the fifth year of a deal that would have paid him about $375,000 in 2018.

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Bolton said today he wanted Thomas at Carlton next year given his leadership, mentoring of the club’s kids and on-field role.

Thomas and his manager Paul Connors will have to thrash out the new deal, with the 30-year-old in for a significant pay cut on his 2017 wage.

But Bolton made it clear if Thomas wanted to play on there was a role for him at Princes Park.

Asked if he wanted him at Carlton next year, he said: “Yeah, I do”.

“It was a really ‘bound by blue’ decision for him to do what he did with his contract this year. It was a really team-first decision,” he said.

“He has really helped our young kids. He has got a smart footy brain and is setting standards and educating them.

“Given all that, he is now in consultation with his management and Steve Silvagni. So I am pretty optimistic something will get sorted soon.”

Dale Thomas did enough this season to earn another year at Carlton. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Bolton told RSN Radio he believed Bryce Gibbs would stay at Carlton next year.

But as the Blues ready themselves for Gibbs to request another trade him in coming months, Bolton said the star was still invested in the club.

“I am really unsure (if Adelaide will come knocking).

“Obviously, he is a contracted player and a wanted and required player,’’ he said.

“It wasn’t an issue with Carlton, he loves his teammates he is invested with the coaches and he loves the club.

“It was just more convenient for him and his family, they are connected in Adelaide, to be back there.

“So given that it was quite an easy transition. It shows how professional he is. He will be in the top four or five players this year.”

He said if John Barker was eventually chosen as Gold Coast’s senior coach he would go with the club’s blessing.

“I think it would be a great reflection of our footy club. We are in no way a club that tries to hold anyone back in terms of progressing.”

Bolton said the club would continue to go to the draft after securing five Rising Star nominations this year.

But the Blues reserve the right to either trade for young players or take experienced players with good leadership and character.

They have been linked to free agent Tom Rockliff in recent weeks, a perfect replacement for Gibbs if he is traded home.

“We are going to do what we said we would do. First of all we will go to the draft but we will always be open-minded to trading and particularly trading young talent if it’s there and available.

“If we go outside those parameters it has to be someone with strong leadership qualities.”