Pearce Hanley had his most consistent year in SUNS colours in 2019, but still missed games to injury throughout the season.
In Round 5 he suited up for his 150th AFL game against the Adelaide Crows where he had 29 disposals, six marks and four tackles.
A shin injury cost him a trip to play West Coast before returning and suffering a serious quad cork in Round 8 against Melbourne.
The cork required surgery to heal and held Hanley out until Round 15.
He played the final nine games of the season and finished the year averaging 20 disposals and five marks per game.
Promoted to the vice-captaincy for the first time in his career, Hanley thrived with the added responsibility in a relatively inexperienced backline.
Hanley’s 8th-placed finish in the Club Champion is his best result since coming to the Gold Coast in 2017.
Best game:
Hanley was a standout in Round 22 against Hawthorn. The Irishman compiled 34 disposals from 11 marks on the wing. It was a change of role to his usual defensive post but Hanley grasped the opportunity to play in the midfield and showed his versatility for next season.
Moment of the season:
There was plenty of fanfare heading into his 150th game, but Hanley wasn’t expecting the special surprise the club had in store for him. Thinking he was sitting down to watch clips for the previous week’s game, Hanley was shown a video featuring friends and family across the globe wishing him well for his milestone match. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch the snippet below and the full version on the website.
Year in a movie title:
The Promotion
