DARREN MONCRIEFF
Friday 20 July 2012
SOME good news this week for Carlton fans: Chris Yarran wants to be a one-club man and has signalled his intentions after committing to the club for a further two years.
The 21-year-old West Australian (pictured) was happy to have signed a new two-year deal with the Blues.
"I'm just rapt to get the deal done and I'm really looking forward to two more exciting years with this club," Yarran said this week.
"It had been talked about over the past few months and I just wanted to get it done as soon as we could. Now that it's done I'm just rapt to be a Carlton Blue for another two years. I love it here and I'm hoping to finish my career as a one-club player."
The Blues were quick to hurry contract talks along after Yarran had become a potential target for GWS Giants as an uncontracted player at the end of this season.
But Yarran was quick to dismiss such speculation.
"I really just laughed about that stuff when my name got mentioned," he said.
"I always knew I wanted to stay at Carlton and I didn't buy into any of that stuff in the media. I'm very happy in Melbourne and we just had to get the right deal done.
"My manager Paul Connors has been a big help through all of that and I'm thankful both parties were able to get the job done. It's a great feeling."
Yarran is 56 games into what looks like to be a definite long-term AFL career.
His dependability in the back half for the Blues continues the trend of transforming quick, damaging half-forwards into solid, rebounding defenders.
Yarran was the sixth pick overall at the 2008 national draft.
He has missed five games this season after injuring his toe in a tackle on Essendon's Alwyn Davey in Round 4.
"The toe is progressing along very nicely at the minute," he said.
"It's taken me about eight weeks to get over the injury, I didn't realise how painful it was until I did it, but I'm starting to feel a lot freer in the way I'm moving across the ground now.
"I've got my fitness back to where it was at the start of the year and I feel like I'm able to contribute more to the team."
As for his club's season and its chances of playing finals footy, Yarran was ever the optimist.
"Not a lot of things have gone right for us this year, and obviously Juddy will be out for the next four weeks, but we're all really looking forward to the challenge," he said.
"Hopefully we can get the job done and make the finals and peak late in the year. We just need to get a few of the guys back in and playing consistently."
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 20/07/2012 14:15