Melbourne have extended Jack Trengove’s contract by a year, easing the pressure on their former co-captain as he tries to make an AFL comeback.
The midfielder was to come out of contract at the end of this season.
Trengove has had wretched luck with a foot injury and is still two months away from running.
Richmond abandoned plans to trade for him after last season when Trengove failed a medical, leading to a second operation on the navicular bone in his left foot.
He has not played since round two last season.
“It really gives me a good opportunity to get the foot right and start playing by the start of next season, build some good form and go from there,” Trengove told the AFL website.
“If I was out of contract at the end of this year, it puts a bit more pressure on in terms of trying to get back earlier than later.
“That’s not something you can afford to do with this sort of injury.”