> Dale Thomas on his contract extension.
> Heath Shaw on committing to the Pies.

Collingwood has secured the services of two of its best young players, with Dale Thomas committing to the Magpies until the end of 2011 and Heath Shaw signing on until the end of 2012.
 
21-year-old Thomas, who was the No.2 overall pick in the 2005 draft, has notched 68 games after debuting in round one of the 2006 season, while 23-year-old Shaw, the son of former Magpie captain Ray and a father-son selection back in 2003, has played 73 games since debuting towards the end of the 2005 season.
 
The signings continue a period where Collingwood has been able to secure the immediate playing futures of some of its most important players, with Shaw and Thomas joining captain Nick Maxwell and midfield stars Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury as players who have recently committed to new contracts with the club.
 
“It gives you confidence and I am just glad that the club has put that confidence back in me”, Thomas told CTV after the announcement.

“I think when you get drafted you want to stay at one team and sometimes that doesn’t eventuate, but hopefully I can still play the rest of my days here.”

Thomas believes that the future is bright for the club, particularly with a number of his team mates having recently committed to new contracts.

“If you look over history the teams that have played good finals footy are the ones that have stuck together and hopefully we can do that.”

Shaw, who has overcome a hamstring problem and returns to the side for Monday night’s clash with the Saints, is delighted that he’ll continue to represent one of the most famous Collingwood families.

“There is a bit of family history at Collingwood.  I was never going anywhere so it’s good to get the three years locked away and concentrate on getting back on the track,” Shaw told CTV.

“I am happy where I am.  I love Melbourne and I love the Collingwood Football Club.

“I wanted to have a really good 2009 and I maybe trained a bit too hard sustaining a few little injuries at the start of the year.  Hopefully they are behind me now and I am looking forward to the rest of the year."

Collingwood's chief of football Geoff Walsh told collingwoodfc.com.au that the club expects Thomas and Shaw to be important players for many years.

“It’s always good to be able to re-sign players the quality of Heath and Dale,” Walsh said.
 
“They’re both young players who have made their mark on the footy club in a short period of time, and we expect them to be part of the nucleus of our side going forward for the next five to eight years.”