DISGRUNTLED SUN RECALLED FOR DEMONS AFL CLASH
MIDFIELDER Aaron Hall has been recalled to the Gold Coast Suns AFL side he wants to leave.
It comes amid revelations by the Bulletin this week that Hall, out of contract at the end of the season, is keen to find another club.
The Tasmanian has drawn the ire of Suns coaches in recent seasons for his ability to break a game open while also costing the side when they are going the other way.
Hall, who was dropped after the Suns’ loss to West Coast on April 14, is one of three inclusions to the Suns senior team the clash with Melbourne at the Gabba tomorrow. The others are Jack Leslie and co-captain Steven May.
The trio will replace injured pair Jesse Joyce and Matt Rosa, while Max Spencer has been dropped.
Teenager Charlie Ballard has kept his spot after making his debut against the Western Bulldogs last weekend.
The Suns’ forward-line experiment with Ballard led him to an AFL debut and the South Australian can now envisage building a career in front of goal. Ballard grew up playing his football in the midfield while his secondary position was in the backline.
The 18-year-old spent the preseason training in the centre with the Suns after being taken with pick 42 of last year’s draft but the loss of the likes of Tom Nicholls (shoulder) and Peter Wright (calf) to injury saw the 195cm talent shifted in to the forward line for the club’s NEAFL team.
It was uncharted territory but Ballard was enjoying the earliest stages of his education in the role.
Then came the loss of Tom Lynch to a knee injury last week, thrusting the green player on to the biggest stage where he kicked a goal on debut in the club’s loss to the Western Bulldogs last weekend.
“I’m usually a midfield or back player so playing forward has been a bit of a different role,” Ballard said ahead of the Suns’ clash with Melbourne at the Gabba tomorrow.
“The club moved me there when we had a lack of talls in the NEAFL and didn’t have a target to go to.
“Usually, I would have felt more comfortable behind the play where you can see it all and read the ball,” Ballard said.
“It’s just a different role I’m learning and I certainly haven’t perfected it.
“The game is something to build off. I have got the nerves out of the way and I’ll keep improving my game each week.”
Ballard said he could see himself developing his career as a forward. “I never really knew where I was going to play coming in to the club so it’s good to have the flexibility and to play all sorts of roles,” Ballard said.