NORTH Melbourne has announced that Scott Thompson has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the club through to the end of the 2017 season.
The deal comes at the end of a busy week for the club with the All-Australian full back joining Aaron Black, Lindsay Thomas and Ben Cunnington in signing new contracts within a few days of each other.
“The club approached me and my manager, Anthony McConville, about a month ago with a two year extension but I’m really keen to be a one-club player and we came to terms on an extra year on top of that,” said Thompson via a statement released by the club.
“With the things going on at North at the moment, I’d be crazy to contemplate playing anywhere else. My future is here and this is the club that gave me an opportunity.”
As well as the contract extensions for key players North Melbourne has also made a number of changes on the coaching and football operations front with Geoff Walsh coming on board as director of football, Leigh Tudor joining as a senior assistant coach, Ben Dyer as development manager and John Donehue returning as tackling coach.
“It’s definitely an exciting place to be and the work the club is doing the post-season to ensure we have every opportunity to succeed is pretty clear and impressive.”
It’s been a good year for Thompson who at 27 was named to his first All-Australian team and who also won the Syd Barker medal as North’s best and fairest player for 2013.
Drafted with the 37th overall pick of the 2007 National Draft, Thompson made his debut in 2008 and has gone on to play in 112 games for the club.
“It’s been a big couple of weeks with the All-Australian, best and fairest and now this but I’m already looking forward to the pre-season and feel that we’re going to be right in it next year,” Thompson said.