Dale Thomas is confident he has great football left in him and says there's no reason he can't be injury-free for the remainder of his career.
The former Magpie played his best game in navy blue on Sunday, collecting 31 disposals on a wing in the 15-point win over arch-rivals Essendon.
Since making the move from Collingwood to Carlton at the end of 2013, Thomas has incurred the terrible combination of poor form and persistent injuries, but he's starting to show glimpses of the player that Ross Lyon once labelled the best in the AFL.
"All along, I've understood that the more chances I got out on the ground .. there's more chance I would be playing better footy," Thomas said on Monday.
"But there's still a long way to go to get some real consistent levels in my game, but I'm working really hard towards that."
After being lured to Carlton by former mentor Mick Malthouse, Thomas has endured a torrid time.
Having played 20 games in his first season for the Blues, who finished 13th in 2014, Thomas put in a full pre-season before injuring his shoulder in the first minute of last year's first-round clash with Richmond.
That was the beginning of a nightmare season for the club and Thomas, with Malthouse sensationally sacked after a string of dismal performances.
Sunday was Thomas' first 30+ disposal game in the navy blue, sparking suggestions he may have the ability to get back near his best.
But he's concentrating on the player he can be, not the player he was.
"I'm trying to forge a career here at the Blues," he said. "[The Collingwood part of my career] has been done, that's sort of a line in the sand.
"I want to become a really good player for this footy club and hopefully I'm taking some steps in that direction."
After arriving on a big contract, Thomas faced external criticism, including from Carlton legend Robert Walls, who labelled his pay packet as ridiculous.
But the 28-year-old says despite reading and listening to the criticism, he never lost confidence in his own ability.
"I understood that it was going to take a while to get out there and unfortunately the footy world demands results instantly.
"I've been patient, I've always known in the back of my mind that if I can play and string some games together and have good pre-seasons, then I'd get there eventually."
After a lingering foot issue that hampered his 2013 season with Collingwood and last year's shoulder injury, Thomas is injury-free and hopes to stay fit for the remainder of his career.
"Yeah, there's no reason why it shouldn't be," he said.
"Injuries are a part of footy and I've had my share of them but hopefully that's behind me now."
