Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley remains confident that injured midfielder Dale Thomas will stay at the AFL club next season.

Thomas’ season-ending ankle injury has renewed speculation about his playing future, with the star midfielder about to become a restricted free agent.

Carlton are known to be interested in the 2011 All-Australian.

“Clearly there’s going to be a lot of focus on his contractual status,” Buckley said.

“We still are absolutely committed to Daisy beyond today.

“In our conversations, our dealings, that’s basically been the accepted outcome.”

Buckley also reacted to the widespread commentary about Thomas’ playing future.

“If I was in Daisy’s shoes, I’d feel like a commodity and that’s the way he’s been discussed, as a commodity,” Buckley said.

“Dale Thomas is a great young man, who is a great footballer, who currently able to go and ply his trade.

“He wouldn’t enjoy people talking of him as a commodity.”

Thomas returned through the VFL on Saturday for his first game at any level since May, but did not last a half before re-injuring the ankle tendon that needed surgery.

“We will get second and third opinions over the next four-five days and then choose the next course of action, basically,” Buckley said.

“He ticked all the right boxes, he was cleared to take the next step, which was to go into a game of footy and see how it handled that.

“We go back to square one and see where we go from here.

“It’s clearly a concern for Daisy and for us.”

Buckley said Collingwood and Thomas are frustrated by this latest setback.

But the coach added Thomas was in the class of stars such as James Hird and Nick Riewoldt, who had come back from serious injuries and regained top form.