The trio follow a number of senior players who have recently recommitted to Collingwood including Scott Pendlebury, Heath Shaw and Lachlan Keeffe.
Luke Ball, 28 was a key figure in the 2010 premiership and has established himself as one of the club’s leaders. Ball was drafted to Collingwood with the 30th selection in the 2009 National Draft. He had originally played 142 matches with St Kilda over eight seasons before leaving the club after the 2009 Grand Final.
Since arriving at the Westpac Centre, Ball has played 51 games for Collingwood and was one of the best afield during the 2010 Grand Final replay. He was placed in the top five in the Copeland Trophy in his first two seasons at Collingwood and appeared on track for another strong season until tearing his ACL in the loss to Carlton in round three.
Twenty-two Jarryd Blair is one of the most remarkable football stories in recent years, rising from the club¹s rookie list to the height of premiership success in the space of 13 weeks in 2010.
Originally from the Gippsland Power via Wonthaggi, he was picked up by Collingwood with its second selection in the 2008 Rookie Draft and spent 2009 developing with the club¹s VFL team. He represented the VFL against the WAFL midway through the next year and earned a senior call up against the West Coast Eagles in round 14 of 2010.
The 172cm midfielder went on to play in Collingwood¹s 15th premiership at the end of the season and has only missed two of a possible 48 matches since his debut. He managed 26 goals as a small forward last year and has stepped up considerably as an on-baller in the first half of 2012.
Steele Sidebottom, 21, and in his fourth season, has established himself as a model of consistency. Recruited to Collingwood with the Magpies’ 11th selection in the 2008 National Draft, Sidebottom played 11 matches as an 18-year-old in his first season and has missed only one game since the 2009 finals series.
Sidebottom has quickly established himself as a finals specialist, featuring prominently in each of his 10 finals matches. He gathered 25 disposals and kicked two goals in the 2010 premiership and has taken huge strides as a midfielder this season, collecting 30 or more possessions in four of his past five outings.
The contract extensions were announced tonight on The Club on Fox Footy.
