NSW/ACT Player of the Week: Matt Suckling
By Alison Zell
A long way from his junior days at the Wagga Tigers, Hawthorn defender Matt Suckling will finally notch his 50th AFL game this weekend when his side takes on the Sydney Swans in a blockbuster at the SCG.
It hasn’t been an easy path to the AFL for the 24-year-old but after a breakout season last year, Suckling has cemented himself as one of the most talented players on the Hawks’ list.
“I got into footy in Wagga, watching my dad play and then started myself when I was probably seven or eight,” he said.
“I played all different sports but AFL was always my favourite.
“Footy is pretty strong in Wagga, probably just as strong as league and everyone’s pretty much split 50/50.”
After being picked up by the Hawks in the 2007 Rookie Draft, Suckling was hampered by injury and didn’t manage a senior game before he was delisted and then redrafted in the 2009 Rookie Draft.
He was upgraded to the senior list and played the opening round of the ’09 season before persistent shoulder injuries forced him to miss the rest of the year.
He managed five games in 2010 before a strong summer set Suckling up for a breakout 2011 season.
“I had a really good pre-season and trained as hard as I ever had,” he said.
“I think the club also made the decision to give opportunities to the young blokes which was great.”
Suckling is noted for his elite kicking skills off the half back line and former Port Adelaide Premiership captain Warren Tredrea recently labeled Suckling the best kick in the competition.
“As I kid I used to kick the footy around endlessly, I would spend hours mucking around and practicing,” Suckling said.
“My kicking developed from there and it’s something I continue to work on.”
A consistent 2012 season has seen him play every game and become one of the most damaging players in the Hawks’ line up. But Suckling, like the Hawks, isn’t getting ahead of himself.
“My year has been really good, touch wood, and it’s great to have the consistency I couldn’t get over the first few years of my career,” he said.
“I’m loving football at the moment and all the boys are having fun.
“There was a bit of expectation around the Hawks at the beginning of the year but we have only focused on what we can control.”
The second-placed Hawks will take on the top-of-the-table Swans on Saturday afternoon and Suckling said his side is ready for the challenge.
“The Swans are number one for contested footy and they’re always a tough, hard side so I think that’s where we need to match them,” Suckling said.
“If we can do that, it will go a long way to getting us a win.
“It’s a bit of a boring cliché but we’ve got two hard games to come and we just want to try and finish as high as possible and give ourselves the best chance of a home final.”
Five years after leaving NSW to follow his football dream, Suckling will return this weekend, but only briefly, as he all but ruled out a move back to his home state.
“I’m a very happy Hawk,” he said.
MATT SUCKLING
Born: July 25, 1988 (24)
Origin: Wagga Wagga
Games: 49
Jumper number: 4
Height: 187cm
Weight: 82kg
Position: Defender
