CTV in Arizona > Thomas wants to move on the ballDale Thomas wants to build his running capacity to a level that will allow him to spend more time in the midfield in 2009.
The 21-year-old, who was the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, has spent the first three seasons of his career playing mainly across half forward, having bagged 52 goals in 63 impressive appearances for the black and white.
But Thomas is determined to use the two weeks of intensive high altitude training in Arizona that the club has nearly completed as a base to focus on his endurance and a subsequent move up the ground in 2009.
“It’s been a tough two weeks... but it’s been fantastic,” Thomas told CTV on Sunday ahead the final day of training in Flagstaff.
“I’m looking forward to getting back (to Melbourne) and really working on the running aspect.
“I think if I can get fitter and take my running to the next level, hopefully I can get up the ground a bit more and get off that half forward line and more into the midfield, and be able to run out games more than going on and off the bench as such from half forward.”
Despite having been to Arizona once before and having access to the altitude training room at the Lexus Centre, Thomas admitted the conditions at Flagstaff (about 2200 metres above sea level) as well as those the players experienced on the various hikes they took part in at greater altitude, made it an extremely challenging experience physically.
“The altitude’s obviously affected the boys, and early on you certainly do notice it, but we’ve acclimatised now.
“Hopefully when we get back to sea level we’ll really be feeling up and about, and really test well when we get back.”
A number of players have caught Thomas’ eye with the way they’ve approached the Flagstaff camp, none more so than new Magpie Anthony Corrie, whose transition to Collingwood has been so smooth Thomas described it as one of the highlights of the trip.
“He (Corrie) has been able to come in, he’s a funny guy and he’s been training really well.
“Jaxson Barham, he’s one to watch out for. He’s been training fantastic, and even in the NFL game we mucked around in the other day, some of the pace he’s got and the moves he can pull out, once he gets them on the footy field he’ll be great.
“Heath Shaw, he’s been unreal. He’s come back, he’s fitter than ever and training the house down."
Click on the CTV link above to watch the full Dale Thomas CTV interview in Arizona, and find out what he said about president Eddie McGuire on the trip and also his thoughts on who the next Collingwood captain will be.
The Magpies are scheduled to arrive back in Melbourne on Wednesday 26 November, and will resume preseason training at the Lexus Centre the following Monday.
