Nick Malceski

Nick Malceski (born 15 August 1984) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans and Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A running defender, he was part of the Sydney line-up that won the 2012 AFL Grand Final, and in total played 176 games for the club between 2005 and 2014. He was named in the 2014 All-Australian team, but at the end of that season joined the Gold Coast, where he played two seasons (consisting of 34 games) before retiring at the end of the 2016 season.

Malceski is a Macedonian Australian. He was recruited from the Eastern Ranges by the Sydney Swans in the 2002 AFL draft with the 64th overall pick.

In his first year at the club, the talented midfielder played in the Wizard Home Loans Cup and then followed up with a full season for the Swans Reserves, where he impressed coaching staff with his magnificent disposal skills on both sides of his body and excellent decision-making abilities in both attack and defence. After a successful first season with the Swans Reserves, Malceski and coaching staff had high hopes for him making his debut for the seniors in the 2004 premiership season. Unfortunately, Malceski ruptured his left anterior cruciate ligament during a trial game, requiring him to have a knee reconstruction, thus ruining any hopes of him making a seniors debut in 2004.

In 2005, Malceski surprised everyone by fully recovering from his knee injury both physically and mentally, and was rewarded with a seniors debut against Carlton in round eleven, the week after the Swans had suffered a 43-point loss to St Kilda which placed the entire club under severe scrutiny. He scored his first career goal with his first kick. Malceski went on to play another four matches for the seniors, but eventually missed out on playing in the premiership side at the end of the season.

In 2006, Malceski got the call up to play for the seniors in round 3, along with a new guernsey, number 9. He played well and held his spot in the team, scoring five goals and averaged 14 possessions a game. However, Malceski pulled up with a hamstring injury during the first quarter of the Swans' round 9 clash against Hawthorn at the MCG. Scans later revealed he would miss the next 3 or 4 weeks.

In the Round 4, 2006 match against Melbourne, he had the opportunity to level the scores in the dying moments but missed from 25 metres out and the Demons hung on. This was an inapt way to cap off his game which was considered to have shown a lot of promise – with several long kicks and attacking flair shown. The match marked his arrival as a promising young player.

Malceski's form earned him selection in the 2006 AFL Grand Final where he garnered 10 possessions and kicked an important goal, however his side ultimately lost in his first Grand Final appearance to the West Coast Eagles.

In 2007, Malceski continued to impress with exquisite disposal skills and cemented his place in the Sydney Swans team with several stand-out performances early in the season. His speed and accuracy off half-back has made him an important cog in the Swans team. In Round 5, 2007 against the Melbourne Demons, Malceski was awarded best on ground with 28 disposals and 1 goal. A great season performance in 2007 resulted Malceski to be runner-up in the clubs prestigious Skilton Medal, only second to Sydney midfielder Brett Kirk.