Season recap:

After being picked up in the 2017 Rookie Draft, Nick Holman impressed in his first year back in the AFL system. He played all 22 games for the SUNS and was able to kick 14 goals playing as a pressure half-forward. Holman built his game around his tackling intensity and finished the season with the second-highest total of tackles for the season with 121. Holman’s good form resulted in a contract extension to keep him at the club until the end of 2019.

 

Best performances:

Holman made a splash in his first game in SUNS colours up in Cairns, notching 14 tackles in his debut game. He also had a three-goal performance against Essendon and found plenty of the ball in Round 9 against Port Adelaide in China.
     
 

Moment of the season:

The dribble goal Holman kicked in Round 15 against Collingwood is one for the highlight reels.

 

What’s next?:

Holman said he was hoping to just play five games in 2018, but after playing every one of them he will be eyeing a similar return in 2019. He still has more to prove for another extension on his one-year deal so will be doing everything possible to ensure he remains in Stuart Dew’s plans.

 

From the coach:

“After not playing AFL football in two years, Nick had a really good year for us in 2019. We brought him in to play a specific role and we think he did extremely well to play every match of the season. His tackling pressure was a standout this year but we were also really pleased how often he was able to hit the scoreboard for us. He was rewarded for his efforts with a contract extension and we look forward to seeing what he can produce next year.” – Stuart Dew