Off-season acquisitions, Nick Malceski and Mitch Hallahan, both endured injury-interrupted maiden seasons at the Gold Coast SUNS, with neither getting off in the manner they would have hoped for when they put pen to paper during last October’s exchange period.
After 12 seasons in the Harbour City, in a tenure that delivered the ultimate success in 2012 and an All Australian guernsey in 2014, Malceski’s season started slowly as he battled through a knee issue that eventually required surgery and a stint on the sidelines. It took until after the bye for Malceski to build some continuity and some form.
For former Hawthorn midfielder, Hallahan, expectations were high when he arrived at Metricon Stadium, perhaps too high given the fact he had only six senior games next to his name after his time at Waverley Park. The onballer had struggled to fight his way into the Hawks sublimely decorated midfield, but in his first year in Queensland, he doubled his games tally before injury struck.
Malceski played the first four games of the campaign before succumbing to a knee injury that was restricting his movement. He had minor surgery, then found some touch in the reserves, before returning as the substitute in round 11 against Fremantle.
After beginning as the substitute again after the bye against Carlton, Malceski accumulated some leather against North Melbourne, collecting 23 possessions, six inside 50s and four rebound 50s in one of the better performances of his season.
The crowning moment of the premiership Swan’s year came against Greater Western Sydney in round 16 at Metricon Stadium. He was damaging by foot, decisive with his decision-making, and along with Kade Kolodjashnij, provided plenty of drive from the back half. Malceski collected a season-high 25 disposals against the Giants at an elite efficiency rate of 84 per cent, to go with eight rebound 50s.
In the closing fortnight of the season, the experienced rebounding defender rewound the clock somewhat, to produce patches of pure class. Some of the best football he produced all season was against his old side in round 23, with his penetrating left foot beaming like a laser at different times.
There is no doubt 2015 wasn’t close to Malceski’s best. But if he can put his knee troubles behind him, and build more synergy with the likes of Kolodjashnij, Adam Saad, Steven May and co, then there is every chance Gold Coast’s backline can develop into one of the more potent in the game.
Hallahan was lured north to shovel coal into the fire on cold, hard days. He was hired to aid a star-studded midfield containing dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett, and emerging superstars, David Swallow, Dion Prestia and Jaeger O’Meara. That hardly eventuated as injuries decimated Gold Coast’s injury room.
The 23-year-old begun his tenure in Carrara on the back foot as he recovered from an ankle reconstruction at the start of pre season, but he worked his way through the summer to produce a standout performance in the second NAB Challenge game. He made a solid start to the year, before suffering a rib injury in the round two loss to St Kilda.
It took a while to build some form after that start, but it came with a flurry, starting in Perth against West Coast in round seven. Hallahan demonstrated why he is so highly regarded as an inside specialist, collecting 22 contested possessions (24 in total), 15 clearances and 11 tackles. A triple double in some people’s language. And the start of the most fruitful patch of his career to date.
He collected another 24 possessions against Collingwood a week later, before producing the finest performance of his career against his old side Hawthorn. Hallahan was exceptional opposed to the midfield that kept him toiling at Box Hill, gathering a career-high 30 possessions, including 16 that were contested, to go with seven clearances in Tasmania.
A persistent arm injury that gradually grew worse in the second half of the year, reached a point following round 16 that meant his season came to a close with 12 games next to his name.
Double the number he acquired in four seasons at the Hawks, but with so many midfielders falling victim to the injury curse this season, Hallahan missed an opportunity in the back half of the year to clench his claws around a spot in the SUNS engine room moving forward. An opportunity that Jesse Lonergan grasped in the closing months of the year.
