It has been a particularly grim couple of weeks for the Gold Coast SUNS with big losses against West Coast and Collingwood. But one player who is beginning to demonstrate his value around the ground is off-season acquisition Mitch Hallahan.
 
When Hallahan arrived at Metricon Stadium during last year’s trade period, the expectations of the inside midfielder were high. For someone who had only played six games at AFL level, the expectations were arguably unfair. But given the club he had come from and his exceptional performances at VFL level they weren’t surprising.
 
Like an old beaten up car, the start to the season for the former Hawk was stuttering. One week he purred, the next week he moved ungraciously. Now, with three consecutive games at AFL level, and niggling injuries at bay, Hallahan has been one of the SUNS' best performers in the last fortnight.
 
On Saturday night, opposed to one of the classiest engine rooms in the game, and without an array of first-choice weaponry, Hallahan fought bravely. He finished the night with an equal team-high 24 possessions (10 contested), six clearances, five tackles and five inside 50s.
 
“I think you need some continuity, I lacked that early in the piece. (I) played the first NAB, missed one, played one, had another week off, its hard to get up and going,” Hallahan told SUNS RAW after the disappointing loss to Collingwood.
 
“Now we’re three or four games into the prep now, and I’m feeling really good, feeling really confident and comfortable with the guys around me, especially with the rucks I’ve got a really good relationship with Tommy Nicholls. Really working well with them in the midfield as well as the other boys at ground level.”
 
Hallahan is quickly building a thriving relationship with Gold Coast ruckman Tom Nicholls. The pair linked up several times against the Magpies to look particularly potent around the ball.
 
But this synergy is not by chance, with Hallahan revealing the pair spent time learning the nuances of each other’s games during the summer months at Metricon Stadium.
 
“We spent a lot of time on it on the pre-season. Just before and after training, just having a chat getting to know each other, get to know how it comes off his hands. I think the work that we done early days is starting show in games now.”
 
“We’re starting to get a pretty good connection together, getting some clearance numbers. The next step now is just getting some bang for our buck out of the clearances.”