DALE Thomas can re-establish himself as one of the best players in the competition now he is back to full fitness, Carlton coach Mick Malthouse believes.
Thomas was one of the brightest stars in the star-studded Collingwood line-up that won the 2010 premiership and lost the following year's Grand Final to Geelong.
In 2011, then-St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said Thomas was close to, if not, the best player in the competition.
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But injury brought Thomas back to the pack the very next season when he injured his right ankle, ironically against Carlton in round 15.
He was able to carry the injury for the rest of the 2012 season, missing just one game, but had to have surgery in November that year.
It was the first of three operations Thomas had on his ankle in nine months, a horror run that limited him to five games in his final season at Collingwood and sent him into his first season at Carlton on a severely limited preparation.
The No.2 draft pick of 2005 did well to play 20 games last year and finished 10th in the Blues' best and fairest award.
And Malthouse is confident that Thomas, whose ankle is now pain-free, is ready to return to his brilliant best after a full pre-season.
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Asked by AFL.com.au if he thought Thomas could reclaim his standing as one of the best players in the competition, Malthouse said: "Yeah, I do."
"Anyone who's had a major injury particularly to the lower leg, the theory used to be that it was almost a two-year recovery – 12 months physical, 12 months mental.
"Because we now spend a lot more time with the player both emotionally and physically we've probably cut that down to 12 months (overall).
"Dale went through a massive operation, it was a massive injury.
"He was mentally traumatised by the ‘will he or won't he leave (Collingwood speculation)’ – that's his own doing – but he had that plus a physical thing to contend with. And that's massive.
"I've always admired Dale, but I admire him more now. He's been able to handle that injury with aplomb and the changeover he's made from a great football club in Collingwood to what we want to be as a great football club has been remarkable."
Carlton snared Thomas as a restricted free agent in October 2013 on a four-year deal worth about $700,000 a season.
Malthouse said Thomas' on-field ability was not the only asset Carlton acquired in that deal, with his outgoing personality an invaluable addition to the Blues' changeroom.
"Our football club was as introverted as I've ever seen a football club and with the benefit of rear-vision I think it was a bit suppressed," he said.
"I want my players to have the same philosophy that I've had in every club, that is that you must enjoy coming to work.
"You want to win desperately, but you want to enjoy your mates too, you want to come away from your career with a great Carlton experience, or a great Collingwood, West Coast or Footscray experience.
"All I want my players to do is have fond memories and give as much as they can.
"And when you're trying to create an environment like that, a Dale Thomas makes life easier for you, as does Chris Judd, as does Marc Murphy, as does Bryce Gibbs.
"Dale has fitted in so well, he's highly respected and he sets such a high standard and the young boys look up to him. We got more than a player."
