Tom Cole Biography

Tom Cole signs a new three-year deal to remain with the Eagles until the end of 2025.

"I just want to be a part of hopefully more success in the future with this club. It's been a bit of a tough year this year, but I'm getting older so I have to be more of a leader within the club," Cole said.

West Coast moves Campbell Chesser and Tom Cole to its inactive list as part of a plan to add desperately needed midfield reinforcements before the start of the 2022 season.

Chesser and Cole can be recalled to the main list later in the season with AFL permission as long as they are replaced on the inactive list by another player who is injured or unavailable at the time.

Tom Cole is set to miss at least half of the 2022 AFL Season due to an ankle cartilage injury sustained during training.

Tom Cole will require surgery for a fractured thumb that will sideline him for two months. Cole injured his thumb during the Eagles' Marsh Community Series loss to Essendon.

Tom Cole signs a three-year contract extension to remain at West Coast until the end of 2022.

Tom Cole will be playing for his late father in the 2018 Grand Final, knowing his dad Russell would be bursting with pride if he was at the MCG to see it.

Cole's entire family and a group of friends will travel from Bendigo – about 90 minutes north of Melbourne – for the season decider, showing their support for the 21-year-old who has made a back pocket his own this season for the Eagles.

"I'd love for him to see it, and I know he'd be so proud. This just makes it that little bit more special how big a stage this is," Cole said.

"He's always in the back of my mind."

Tom Cole earns the 2018 round 19 Rising Star nomination.

Cole's ability to play 14 straight matches this season since breaking into the Eagles' senior side in round five is testament to his growing importance at the club.

"You have times when you think you're not good enough – that's just natural," Cole said.

"But there are a lot of great coaches around who've been around the industry and they know what it takes and they really drill that into you.

"I had a good pre-season this year and got through unscathed and that really set me up and I just built form from there."

Tom Cole's breakthrough 2018 season comes despite a family tragedy that struck when his father lost his battle with liver and bowel cancer just prior to the start of the season.

"After playing Freo in JLT3, my sisters called me and said 'you should probably come home soon'," Cole recalled.

"I flew straight home and that next weekend he passed away, the week before round one.

"It was a tough week, sleeping at the hospital with Mum for four or five nights, and that Saturday he lost his battle."

Cole has his good and bad days, but the memory of his Dad, who took great pride in his son's football career, is driving him.

"It's hard not having him here this year because I've finally started playing some AFL games," Cole said.

"It's hard that he's not getting to see it, but I know he's up there watching. Every game is pretty much playing for him for the rest of my career."

Tom Cole will return to full training in the New Year after having minor ankle surgery.

"He had surgery to remove a bone chip," a West Coast spokesman said.

"He will be back running next week and full training straight after the Christmas break."

Tom Cole makes his AFL debut for West Coast with 14 disposals (7 kicks and 7 handballs), 4 marks and 2 tackles in a 77-point win over Gold Coast.

West Coast draftee Tom Cole signs a two-year contract extension after showing plenty of promise in the pre-season and the WAFL.

Cole has been on the cusp of selection for West Coast a number of times in first six rounds and the Eagles have seen enough in him to lock him away until the end of the 2019 season.

"We believe Tom can be an important part of our future," Eagles football manager Craig Vozzo said.

"Tom's induction into the club has been almost seamless. He has been close to making his debut already and he has some qualities, which we think are quite exciting.

"Tom shows great composure and a willingness to learn and develop. It is important for us to have a young man of his character and attributes re-commit to the club."

West Coast draftee Tom Cole says he is rapt to join West Coast after supporting a team that hadn't tasted much success in his lifetime.

"I followed the Tigers," Cole said.

"It was a bit of a rough sort of childhood."

Cole dominated for the Pioneers in the TAC Cup, averaging 25 disposals a game. He played four games for Geelong in the VFL and said that experience gave him a lot of confidence that he could make it at AFL level.

"I matched up on a few forwards who have played in the AFL," Cole said.

"To get that experience was really good."

West Coast select Tom Cole with pick No.36 in the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

"Another AFL Academy member, played two years of Vic Country predominantly across half-back last year but has moved into the midfield this year. Played some really good VFL footy for Geelong during the year," Eagles recruiting manager Rohan O'Brien said.