LAOIS NATIVE ZACH Tuohy has signed a new three-year deal with AFL outfit Carlton Blues.
The 23 year-old secured the new contract this week which will keep him at the club until the end of 2016.
‘The Pride of Portlaoise re-signs’ is the headline on Carlton’s official website at the news concerning Tuohy who won a 2007 Leinster minor championship title with Laois.
He featured for Ireland during the 2011 International Rules Series and is likely to be an asset for manager Paul Earley in this year’s International Rules Series.
Tuohy is in his fourth AFL season but it’s his first on the primary list of the Melbourne-based club after three years as an international rookie.
He has played 40 AFL games after making his debut in a round 11 tie in 2011 against Port Adelaide. Tuohy has featured in all 10 of Carlton’s games to date this season, and his impressive form in 2013 has been a key factor in securing the contract.
Carlton Coach Mick Malthouse paid tribute to Tuohy.
“I’ve watched him from a distance, and this year being his coach I’ve seen a real grim determination to be better and better every week.
“The way he has conducted himself, the way he has gone about it, and the way he has improved, has been fantastic.”
Pic: carltonfc.com.au
Tuohy’s current two-year contract was due to expire at the end of this season, along with his current two-year visa, and in March he confirmed that he was attempting to secure both Australian and Irish citizen status.
“In the early days I always planned on going home (to Ireland), but the longer I stayed here the more and more I liked it,” said Tuohy.
“Going home last off-season made me realize how willing I’d be to stay here, as much as I love home and would go home every year regardless.”
Tuohy has progressed from the youngster who regretted his decision to pack lightly on his maiden trip Down Under.
“The first time I came to Australia, I don’t know when it was but it was towards the back end of the season, the very first game I ever saw was a reserves game up at Ballarat.
“I’d packed nothing but t-shirts and shorts because I figured ‘I’m going to Australia, it’s going to be hot’ and the wind at Ballarat just sliced me up.”
