This means that Foley, who was out of contract at the end of this year, will now remain a Tiger at least until the end of the 2015 season.
“It’s fantastic . . . some really exciting times coming up, so I was really excited to sign with the Club. They’ve been fantastic and I’m looking forward to the future,” Foley told ‘Roar Vision’.
Be there for Richmond's night of nights, the 2012 Jack Dyer Medal.
In the short term, Foley is focused on recovering from his season-ending foot injury.
The 26-year-old veteran of 120 league games is making good progress after suffering a partial rupture of the Achilles tendon in his right foot early last month.
“It’s all fine. I went and saw the surgeon last Tuesday and everything’s going to plan,” he said. “It’s pretty quiet at the moment, there’s not too much you can do. But I’ve had no infection, or any dramas with it, so it’s all going smoothly at the moment . . . “I’m about five weeks post-op, so I’ve just been doing a bit of shoulder work, a few upper-body weights, injury-prevention sort of stuff, groin strength. But it’s been pretty low-key at this stage.
“I’ll slowly transition out of the boot probably in the next fortnight and then probably in a month’s time, I’ll start getting some strength into it.”
An Achilles problem ruined Foley’s 2009-10 seasons, but he made an encouraging return last year, playing all 22 home-and-away games, to finish eighth in the Jack Dyer Medal.
Foley built on from that in the first half of this season and looked like he was returning to his best form.
He was averaging more than 23 disposals per game in his 10 appearances this season, before a heel problem surfaced, followed by the Achilles rupture.
But Foley remains upbeat about his playing prospects in 2013 and beyond . . .
“As frustrating as it is, a lot of people have done it,” he said. “I’ve spoken to (Hawthorn’s) Jarrad Roughead already about it . . . You look at him, he’s having a fantastic year.
“It’s just a waiting game at the moment.
“You know what to expect a bit more and, to be honest, this injury’s probably a bit more predictable than other injuries I’ve had in terms of ‘rehabbing’, so it should be fine.”
Foley has received excellent support from his teammates, while he’s been convalescing at home.
“The boys have been fantastic,” he said.
“A lot of them got into the hospital and been visiting me at home . . . Dave Astbury actually went to the effort of cooking me some food to chuck in the freezer.”
The goal of returning to the emerging Richmond midfield in season 2013 is something that genuinely excites Foley.
“It’s fantastic . . . You always look at premiership teams and they’ve got an enormous amount of depth and talent through their midfield. “I reckon we’re really building a strong midfield, and Ivan’s (Maric) been sensational this year, giving us first use, and you can’t speak more highly of Cotchin and Deledio and these blokes going through there.”
