Melbourne have received a massive boost after key forward Tom McDonald put pen to paper on a new four-year deal with the club.
The 25-year-old was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of this year, but the new deal locks him in with the Demons until the end of 2022.
Couldn’t be happier to be sticking around for 4 more years. I’m very lucky that @melbournefc decided to take a chance on a skinny kid who couldn’t do much more than run a 3km time trial. Hoping we get to sing that song many more times together 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/WZRGo7iLgS
— Tom McDonald (@TomMcDonald92) June 5, 2018
He has emerged as one of Melbourne's leading players in their surge into the top eight in 2018, having kicked 19 goals in his six appearances.
McDonald has been a revelation for the Dees since he moved into the forward line when Jesse Hogan was unavailable for the majority of the 2017 season.
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After suffering a foot injury in the pre-season, McDonald has burst out of the blocks since his playing return in round six, and hasn't kicked fewer than two goals in a game in 2018.
McDonald is one of the in-form players in the league - in round 11 against the Western Bulldogs, he strung together a dominant showing with four goals, 24 disposals and 11 marks.
4️⃣more years.
— Melbourne FC (@melbournefc) June 5, 2018
T-Mac has put pen to paper and signed on until 2022.
📝: https://t.co/hokyzAjc38 pic.twitter.com/d7cPu0YKkW
McDonald's return has coincided with Melbourne's rise to third on the ladder, with the Dees the best attacking side in the AFL after 11 rounds.
The news of McDonald's signing has marked a better day for the Dees, who are reeling from the news star recruit Jake Lever has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a ruptured ACL.
Lever - who admitted his shock at the diagnosis following the seemingly-innocuous incident - suffered the injury during Melbourne's win over the Bulldogs.
Regardless, with McDonald now locked in, the attention will turn to other free agents such as Gold Coast skipper Tom Lynch and Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane.
Lynch and Slone, among others, are unlikely to make a decision on their futures until later in the year.
Melbourne will look to extend their winning streak to seven matches when they face Collingwood at the MCG on Monday in the annual Queen's Birthday clash.
