ESSENDON'S Patrick Ambrose has been rewarded for his good form following a move to defence with a new deal.
AFL.com.au can reveal the out-of-contract Bomber has inked a one-year contract extension, which will tie him to the club until the end of 2017. It will be his fourth season at the club since being rookie-drafted as a mature-ager at the end of 2013.
"I've had a different role this year but the time came to get another contract, so it's been good to play some consistent football," Ambrose told AFL.com.au.
"It's been a huge challenge in defence but I think it suits my game. It's a bit simpler down there and you get a role and you play on a man and try to beat him. That's what I've focused on.
"Now for me to take my game to the next level it's probably to add intercept marks into my game and working the other way to run off my opponents."
After struggling to find the goals last year as a third forward (Ambrose kicked six majors in 16 games), the physical and athletic Bomber has been reshaped as a defender this year.
He admitted he was "nervous" when first approached about the change over summer.
"[Essendon assistant coach] Mark Harvey was a big driver behind it and 'Woosha' (coach John Worsfold) was pretty keen on me to do it so we trained it all pre-season and I've rolled with it from there," Ambrose said.
"I struggled a bit last year and got stuck being a defensive forward, and not presenting as much at the footy and getting in other people's space.
"We weren't winning a heap of ball either last year so that can make it difficult too in the forward line."
Match preview: Essendon v Gold Coast
One of his best games of the year came against Richmond, when he held star Tigers forward Jack Riewoldt goalless in Essendon's competitive defeat in round 17.
"It's been pretty good playing on Jack a few times, and you learn a lot because he's such a crafty forward with his leading patterns. I tried to play him in front and then from behind to try to change it up on him," Ambrose said.
Ambrose's signature leaves the Bombers with 17 players on their senior list who aren't contracted for next year, aside from the six remaining suspended players who are yet to confirm their plans for next year once their anti-doping bans end.
The unsigned group of Bombers include stand-in captain Brendon Goddard, Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney and veteran defenders Courtenay Dempsey and James Gwilt.
Young defender Martin Gleeson is also out of contract while exciting forward Jayden Laverde hasn't yet extended his standard two-year deal that he signed on joining the club at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
