Collingwood midfielder Dale Thomas has defended the form of teammate Alan Didak during Monday’s press conference.

Thomas, who was speaking at the launch of the 2011 Westpac Community Cup, indicated that the 28-year-old has been performing a different role this season than in years past. 

“I think what Alan has been doing in a defensive role has been a bit different than in the past,” Thomas told the media in attendance.

“Obviously we all know he has got such great attacking instincts around the goals but the role he has been playing within the team has probably been overlooked by the outside world.”

Didak managed just 13 possessions and was held goalless in Friday night’s loss to Geelong.  His numbers are lower than last year’s output as he is averaging 19.1 disposals and 1.0 goals per game (24.6 and 1.7 in 2010). 

But a closer look at what he is doing with the footy shows the 2006 Copeland Trophy winner is playing a vital role for his side.

Didak ranks fifth at the club for total kicks inside 50 (23) this year with 60.9% of his kicks retained by the side (third at the club).  His accuracy by foot still reigns supreme with 14 (fourth at the club) of those kicks coming from outside 70 metres and 64.3% of them retained by his teammates (competition average is 42.8%).

To add further weight to Thomas’s comments, Didak is averaging a career-high number of tackles (2.9) and sits just outside the top ten in the competition in score assists with 10.

His direct opponents have also had little influence offensively with Geelong’s Corey Enright just managing three disposals in a 32-minute matchup (Enright averaging 23 disposals per game).

“We know that Alan is going along nicely, internally. I suppose from your guys perspective he hasn’t been kicking those freakish goals which has changed your impression of him.”