The transformation of Aaron Hall into a midfielder was one of the more remarkable things to come out of 2015 inside Metricon Stadium.
 
In the final seven rounds of the season, the Tasmanian moved into Gold Coast’s engine room out of pure necessity, and despite rarely venturing in there before, he looked like he had lived there all his life.
 
He finished with such a flurry, polling in six of the last seven games, to finish seventh in the Club Champion to emphasise the quality of his finish to the year.
 
Up until round 17, the speedy medium-sized forward had endured a difficult season. A non-existent pre-season didn’t allow him to cover the ground in the early part of the year, seeing him drift in and out of Rodney Eade’s side, before personal issues in the middle of the year brought his year to a sudden halt.
 
Hall played only five of the first 12 games of the season as he tried to play catch-up after completing less than one per cent of the pre season. Major post-season surgery on his groins prevented him from running for more than five months, ensuring he started 2015 well and truly on the back foot.
 
By the time he returned to the senior setup in round 14, the SUNS' year had already headed down a certain path. Finals were off the table, injuries had decimated the side, but there was still plenty to salvage and unexpected players had an opportunity to show their wares in different roles.
 
Upon his return, Hall produced one of the best performances of his short career, collecting 20 disposals and kicking three goals in the SUNS' best win of the year against North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium. The following weekend he looked dangerous again across half forward, gathering 17 touches and two goals against the Western Bulldogs in Cairns.
 
The 24-year-old would later reveal that he dealt with some personal issues during the middle section of the year, and returned in a better place to deal with football. His form mirrored his improved wellbeing and his time away may just have been the decisive catalyst for his career best patch in the last seven weeks.
 
It all began in the South Australian fortress – Adelaide Oval – in front of parochial home crowd that was still coming to terms with the loss of Crows coach Phil Walsh. When champion midfielder Gary Ablett went down with a season-ending knee injury late in the opening quarter, joining a plethora of midfield class on the sidelines, Eade threw Hall into the middle and the result was profound.
 
Hall collected a career-high 24 disposals against a star-laden Adelaide midfield to somewhat alleviate some of the pain felt by the absence of Ablett and co. He followed up that reliable effort with another equal career-best possession haul against a potent West Coast midfield group the week later.
 
Two weeks doesn’t make a career and is only a short sample size, but the writing was on the wall. Despite spending his football career close to goal, he had the ability to do damage around stoppages with his big frame and quick turn of speed.
 
The next week Gold Coast travelled up to face local rivals Brisbane at the Gabba and Hall continued his revival with the best performance of his career. He was dominant in the middle of the ground, collecting a career-high 28 possessions and eight inside 50s to finish a vote behind Tom Lynch in the Marcus Ashcroft medal.
 
At the MCG a week later, his form showed no signs of slowing up as he put on a master class in the opening half, before being slowed after the main break. Hall still finished with another career-best haul, collecting 29 possessions, seven clearances and seven inside 50s to be Eade’s best. A month of pure midfield class indicated that he was an option in the guts in the future, once a full complement returns next year.
 
In two of the final three games, against Essendon in round 21 and Sydney in round 23, Hall entered the 30s, collected 31 disposals on both occasions to be the SUNS' premier midfielder on the ground.
 
His last seven weeks of the year were nothing short of phenomenal when you consider where he was earlier in the year. He looms as a potent weapon in the SUNS' evolving midfield tapestry. One who adds another element with his turn of pace and goal sense.