Young star a knockout

By Paul Pickering
MITCH Hallahan was punching out of his division in this year’s National Under-18 Championships.
Not that it worried the 16-year-old Dandenong Stingrays midfielder, who is also a state champion boxer.
Hallahan was only 15 when he won the Victorian under-17 boxing title – in the 72kg (light-heavyweight) division – last year, and he made his TAC Cup debut last August, just a week after his 16th birthday.
He was the only bottom-age Stingray to feature in this year’s under-18 carnival, playing the first three games for Vic Country against Vic Metro, Tasmania and South Australia.
Hallahan, who was Vic Country’s best player in the under-16 championships last year, said he was pleasantly surprised to get the call-up.
“I set a goal to play one game for Vic Country this year, so to play three was a bonus,” he said.
“It was a really big step up (from TAC Cup footy). Just the pressure, the intensity and being in the elite company of those boys was really exciting.
“I was just happy to be out there, getting some experience and hopefully progressing for next year.”
The Blairgowrie teenager acquitted himself well as part of a star-studded Vic Country midfield, but he was rushed to hospital after copping a knock to the ribs during the game against South Australia at AAMI Stadium.
He was ok, but the Vic Country coaching staff opted to send him back to the Stingrays rather than put him through the ringer in the last two games.
“The coach, Robert Hyde, rang me and said, ‘you’ve proved to us that you can play at this level and next year you’ll be ready to go’,” he explained.
Unfortunately, Hallahan missed out on playing in the carnival finale at the Docklands alongside his older brother James, 18, who made his representative debut in the clash against Western Australia.
Mitch credits James with having a huge impact on his fledgling footy career, but he admits that they are like chalk and cheese out on the ground.
James is the superior endurance athlete; a 188cm wing/half-back who loves the open space.
Mitch is 7cm smaller; a rugged inside onballer whose aerial prowess allows him to drift forward and expose his midfield opponents.
The siblings took up boxing on the recommendation of a famous family friend a few years back.
“My old man is friends with Brad Pitt (Beijing Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist),” Hallahan said.
“He played footy as a junior and said boxing helped him with his fitness and strength, so he suggested it was a good idea.”
Hallahan says his success in the ring has given him more self-confidence on the footy field, but, unlike Swans hard-man Barry Hall, he prefers to keep his fists to himself once he crosses the boundary line.