Nick_Suban
Nick Suban
Australian rules footballer
Nicholas Suban (born 9 May 1990) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League.
Originally from Bacchus Marsh, Victoria and of Slovenian origin,[citation needed] Suban captained both the North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup and Victoria Country in the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships.[1][2] He was named in both the Under 18 All-Australian Team and the TAC Cup Team of the Year in both 2007 and 2008.[3] Suban was drafted by Fremantle with the 24th selection in the 2008 AFL Draft.
Suban is only the second player to wear the number 8 guernsey for Fremantle, following the retirement of inaugural squad member Shaun McManus in 2008.[4] Along with fellow new recruit Stephen Hill, Suban made his debut in the opening round of the 2009 AFL season,[5] and both played all 22 games for the season.[6] In Round 21, Suban was one of Fremantle's best players in their 54-point win over Essendon. His career-high 25 possession and two goal game earnt him an AFL Rising Star nomination.[7]
In April 2010, Suban extended his contract until the end of the 2012 season.[6] After playing 25 consecutive games from his debut in 2009, Suban missed his first game in Round 4 of the 2010 season due to an ankle injury suffered in the final minutes of Fremantle's win over Geelong at Subiaco Oval.[8] He returned in round 9 and played 13 more games for the year. In round 4 of the 2011 season against North Melbourne at Subiaco Oval, Suban fractured his right fibula when his leg was trapped under teammate Ryan Crowley.[9] He missed over three months of football before returning to play in the Western Derby in Round 18.[10]
Suban had a disappointing 2012 season, being tried in a variety of positions in his 14 games, often as the substitute player. In 2013, however, he moved to play more in the midfield,[11] and played in 22 games, including the 2013 AFL Grand Final. He played his 100th game for Fremantle in a surprise loss to bottom placed St Kilda in round 18 of the 2014 season.[12][13][14]
He was delisted by Fremantle at the conclusion of the 2017 season.[15]