BROTHERS Tom and Oscar McDonald have signed new deals with the club and will remain with Melbourne until at least the end of 2018.

General manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said the pair was integral to the club’s plans.   

“Both of these signings are very important components for the structure of our team in future years,” he told melbournefc.com.au.   

“We have been negotiating throughout the year with [their manager] Alex McDonald to get both of these deals done and we’re very happy that we’ve been able to come to an agreement on Oscar and Tom.”

Mahoney said Tom had become an important member of the club’s defence.

“Tom played his 100^th game a couple of weeks ago and he’s played a really important role for us this year in leading a very young and developing backline,” he said.  

“We’re very pleased that he’s signed on for the next two years.

“Tom has developed into a very good defender and continues to improve his leadership throughout the club.”

Mahoney added that Oscar had progressed strongly in 2016. 

“We’ve been very pleased with Oscar’s development this season,” he said.

“He’s often come up against bigger and more experienced opponents this season.

“He has shown very good improvement as the season has gone on.”

Tom has played 101 matches since he made his AFL debut in round 23, 2011 against the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG, under then coach Todd Viney.

He has since finished third in Melbourne’s best and fairest award on two occasions in 2012 and 2015.

He also received a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in 2012.

Tom said he was rapt to remain at Melbourne and have the next two years locked away.   

“It’s not something you stress about every day, but it does play on your mind a little bit,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“It’s good to have it done – have a bit of continuity and commit for the future.

“It’s a really good feeling to have it all done close to the end of the season. There wasn’t much time left, but we snuck it in.”

Tom said it was great to lock in his contract at the same time as Oscar.

“I was trying to keep it separate from him, because that’s his deal and mine is mine. But once mine was almost done, I was told Oscar’s was almost done as well and then I was told that it’d be nice to announce them together,” he said. 

“They were totally separate, but we’ve got the same manager and it was good timing, so it was pretty special to get them done at the same time.

“It’s good to see him sign on as well.”

Tom said he never wanted to leave Melbourne.

“I really wanted to stay and get a deal done, but you’ve got to be realistic and aware that things can change, so you’ve got to be prepared if the situation changes,” he said.

“But I was always of the opinion that I wanted to stay at Melbourne and we were able to figure something out.

“I wasn’t talking to any other clubs or assessing any other offers, but I was just looking to stay at Melbourne.”

Oscar made his AFL debut in round 22, 2015 against Fremantle at Domain Stadium, which happened to be captain Nathan Jones’ 200^th game.

He has now played 14 AFL matches, including 12 this season.

Oscar said he was rapt to know his 2017-18 seasons were at Melbourne.

“It’s been a great year,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“After a couple of niggling injuries at the start of the season, it’s been good to get a few games on the trot now for myself.

“I’ve signed for another two years, which is very exciting and it’s coincided with a good win against Hawthorn, but it wasn’t that match that made me sign – it was the process and the way things are going around the club that had me hooked and excited for the future.”

Oscar added that he had no hesitation in signing on with the red and blue.

“To get two more years to invest personally and be at the club – I just want to get the best out of myself and win footy matches and play finals,” he said.

“It means a lot to sign on with Tom – it means even more to me – so it’s good that we’ve both signed on for two more years.

“Hopefully sustained success will come from it.”

Interestingly, Tom and Oscar were selected at No.53 in their respective NAB AFL Drafts. Tom was drafted in 2010 and Oscar in 2014.

They loom as long-term backline prospects for the club, capable of playing key posts and on mid-sized and smaller opponents.

The duo was recruited from Edenhope-Apsley/North Ballarat Rebels.