Hawthorn, Gold Coast, Gippsland: Mitch Hallahan opens up on AFL experience, footy journey

It was more to do with netball.

Hallahan’s partner, Jarney Thomas, is part of the large McRae family.

Her grandfather is Dalyston legend Peter “Pedro’’ McRae, who played league football at Footscray and is the Magpies’ No.1 ticket holder this season.

Last year, Jarney played netball at Sorrento, where ex-AFL Hawk and Sun Hallahan was playing football.

This year, she decided to return to “Daly’’, in South Gippsland.

The top netball team is coached by a McRae. Alana, one of the five daughters of club mainstays Rohan and Jenny.

And so Hallahan signed with the Magpies, lending his experience to a “young and impressionable group’’ and first-year coach Dean Wylie.

Dalyston, 125km south east of Melbourne and a few minutes from the regional centre of Wonthaggi, plays in the West Gippsland Football Netball League.

After winning the Alberton league premiership in 2015, the Magpies joined West Gippy in 2017.

The past few years have been a struggle.

Last season they finished 2-16 with a percentage of 42.92.

Things have picked up; they went into last weekend’s bye at 5-6.

Unsurprisingly, Hallahan has been prominent for the Magpies, receiving five mentions in the best from his eight games.

Dalyston president Andy Thomas says having a former AFL player has given the club “credibility’’.

“We’ve been battling the last couple of years. Now all of a sudden Mitch jumps in and we start getting a little bit more respect,’’ he says.

“He’s got a big body, he knows how to use the ball and he makes it a hell of a lot easier for some of the young guys. In previous years they’ve been in the middle and got knocked around and injured.

“Footy in the country has its problems at the moment, and when you get someone like Mitch, who commits his heart and soul into us, it makes a huge difference in attracting the young kids our club needs.’’

Hallahan and his partner are going the distance for Dalyston: they live in Melbourne’s west and make the drive for training and games.

“It’s been really enjoyable to head down and simplify everything, strip all the layers back and just play footy,’’ he says.

“Been amazing, to be honest. Great people, great club and we haven’t come across a bad ground yet. They’re all massive, which probably doesn’t help me. And it’s a pretty even competition. There are a couple of standouts at the moment but I don’t think it’s going to stay like that for too much longer.

“Us, we’re going OK. If you had asked some of the guys who have been in the senior team for a while if we could be a chance to play in the finals after 11 games, I don’t think too many of them would have said yes.

“That gives you an indication of where the club was at and how things have changed. We’re competitive now. We’re building a good brand of footy with a good core group of players.’’

The Magpies defeated Cora Lynn in round five. Driving back to Melbourne, Hallahan counted only six players in the team that day who were over 25.

“We’ve got some quality young players,’’ he says.

And plenty of support too.

Hallahan has noticed how many former players drift out to the huddles “and give you a pat on the arse and say how proud they are of the effort’’.

“The Dalyston community, pretty much every local business or farmer, is invested in the club, not only as financial sponsors but with genuine care for all the sides. Not just the seniors,’’ he says.

Hallahan’s own regard for Dalyston is apparent when he refers to the showing of “our teams’’.

He notes that “our fourths are a good bunch of kids’’ and “our thirds are struggling a little bit, they’re a bit depleted, but the positive thing is a lot of our 16s will come up as bottom-agers and they’ll be more competitive next year’’.

Dalyston used to play in the old Bass Valley, which, reflecting its rough-and-tumble style, was sometimes referred to as “Bash Valley’’.

Hallahan could have held his own in it: as a teenager he was an amateur boxing champion.

West Gippsland opponents would be wise to keep out of his way.

“I try to stay out of that. Waste of energy. I spend too much energy chasing them all around. They’re all a bit quicker than me,’’ Hallahan says with a laugh.

Thomas says Hallahan “goes about his business nice and quietly’’.

“No one messes with him,’’ he says.

“He keeps it low key. He hasn’t come in and tried to put across AFL stuff. He’s a great bloke who’s just soaking it all up, taking everything on board and helping out wherever he can.’’

*****

Hallahan wears No.38 for Dalyston, just as he wore No.38 at Hawthorn.

He adopted it after being taken by the Hawks at No.38 in the 2010 national draft.

Having to overcome injuries and earn his brown and gold stripes in the VFL, the right-footer waited until 2014 for his AFL debut.

In 2013, he shared the JJ Liston trophy and played in a premiership with Box Hill Hawks.

He was traded to the Suns after six games with Hawthorn, adding another 20 to his tally over three seasons.

The end came in September 2017.

“When you’re 25 and you’re supposed to be coming into the prime of your career and you’re in an exit meeting and unfortunately there’s not a spot for you anymore, that was a bitter pill to swallow,’’ Hallahan says.

“I can honestly say I gave it everything.

“A couple of significant ankle injuries early probably hampered my ability to cover the ground or whatnot. To be honest, I say I got the most out of myself and unfortunately just wasn’t good enough to have a really long and successful career.

“I was fortunate to be in the system for seven years. When I exited the average career was only two-and-a-half to three years. Yeah, you’d like to play more senior games, but along the way you play in a VFL premiership, you make friends and connections and it opens a few doors for you at the other end of your career.’’

Hallahan admits he had his challenges coming out of the AFL.

“Probably not great. And that won’t come as too much of a surprise to other players who have transitioned out of the game.

“I was 25, 26. I took myself to Europe for three months, had a wonderful time over there, but for the next three or four years I didn’t do anything significant. It was more, ‘All right, let’s settle back into life as a civilian and go and play footy with your mates at Sorrento’. I didn’t really have a job I was getting satisfaction out of. There was a missing link for three or four years.’’

In 2021, Hallahan started working as a recruitment consultant; the link is no longer missing.

As he searched for it, he played fine football for Sorrento, winning three club best and fairests and a league medal.

More Coverage

‘A bloody marvel’: Why ‘Chewy’ still pulls on the boots

Paul Amy

The Sorras lost grand finals in 2018 (against Pines with a kick after the siren) and ’19.

“From a team point of view we probably didn’t achieve what we should have,’’ he says. “We had really good sides. But it was nice to get back and play with guys I grew up with, at my home club, my junior club.’’

Now he’s calling Dalyston home – and big Andy Thomas the president and the Magpies’ McRae clan are very happy about it.