Dea-termined: This will be a better year, says Mildura’s Richmond recruitBy Toby Prime
Sunraysia Daily
21 Feb, 2012 Mildura football-export Matt Dea said he is hoping for his best season yet as Richmond try to break a 10-year finals drought.
Dea has only played seven senior games in his two injury-plagued seasons at Punt Road after being recruited with pick number 44 in the 2009 AFL National Draft.
Dea was picked up by the Tigers with their third-round selection on the strength of three TAC Cup games with the North Ballarat Rebels
The 20-year-old made his debut in round four in 2010 where he played three games before going back to Richmond’s VFL affiliate side Coburg, where his season was ended by a broken foot.
But Dea feels that after a solid pre-season over the summer, he is over his injury worries that have cursed his first two seasons.
“I haven’t missed a session which is very promising and I think the body is starting to adapt which is what I need,” Dea said.
“It’s made me aware of what I need to work on, body wise and football wise, without a doubt.
“It might be a bit of blessing in disguise.”
Dea impressed in defence late last season when he was called in to cover for injured captain Chris Newman.
The powers that be at Punt Road saw enough in Dea to extend the young defender’s contract for another two-years, keeping Dea at Tigerland until the end of the 2013 season.
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