{{short description|Australian rules footballer}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Matt Suckling | image = Matt Suckling 2018.2.jpg | caption = Suckling playing for the Western Bulldogs in April 2018 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|7|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Wagga Wagga, New South Wales | death_date = | death_place = | originalteam = East Wagga-Kooringal (Riverina Football League)<br>Wagga Tigers (AFL Canberra) | draftpick = No. 22, 2007 rookie draft | debutdate = Round 1, 2009 | debutteam = {{AFL Haw}} | debutopponent = {{AFL Gee}} | debutstadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground | height = 186&nbsp;cm | weight = 82&nbsp;kg | position = Defender | years1 = 2007–2015 | club1 = {{AFL Haw}} | games_goals1 = 102 (51) | years2 = 2016–2020 | club2 = {{AFL WB}} | games_goals2 = {{0}}76 (34) | games_goalstotal = 178 (85) | statsend = 2020 | nationalyears1 = 2011 | nationalteam1 = Australia | nationalgames_goals1 = 2 (0) | repstatsend = 2011 | careerhighlights = * 2× AFL premiership player: 2014, 2015 }}

'''Matthew Suckling''' (born 25 July 1988) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club and Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). Suckling is known as a player with precision kicking and link-up play from defence. Characteristic of his style of play is his very long range, very accurate kicking.<ref name="Belkin">{{cite web|last=Belkin|first=Murrary|title=Suckling steps up|url=http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4742/newsid/113941/default.aspx|publisher=Hawthorn Football Club|access-date=30 May 2011|date=16 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323143823/http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4742/newsid/113941/default.aspx|archive-date=23 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Early life== Hailing from Wagga Wagga, Suckling played football with Isaac Smith in the Wagga Hawks for several years before both moved to the Wagga Tigers where they won two premierships.<ref>[https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/8188955/suckling-to-make-popular-return-to-gumly-oval/ Matt Suckling will make a guest appearance for junior club East Wagga-Kooringal next month and conduct a sportsman's night with former teammate Luke Breust] By Matt Malone 17 June 2024</ref>

==Rookie== First drafted by the Hawthorn Football Club at pick 22 in the 2007 Rookie draft. He was struck down by osteitis pubis for most of 2007 but was retained on the rookie list for 2008. Suckling was redrafted to Hawthorn's rookie list by the club at pick 81 in the 2009 Rookie draft.<ref>{{cite news|last=Malone|first=Matt|title=Riverina players picked|url=http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/general/riverina-players-picked/1388583.aspx|access-date=30 May 2011|newspaper=The Daily Advertiser|date=17 December 2008}}</ref>

At the 2009 rookie draft, where Hawthorn had agreed to redraft Suckling; the club mistakenly read out the wrong player registration number and accidentally selected the Sandringham Dragons' best-and-fairest player, Matthew Suckling<ref>{{cite web|title=Kicking back|date=4 June 2011|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/kicking-back-20110604-1fmer.html}}</ref>

He was then finally drafted to Hawthorn's senior list with pick 70 in the 2009 AFL draft.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

==Career== 150px|left|thumb|Suckling at training in January 2015 He made his debut for Hawthorn in the opening round of the 2009 AFL season in the rematch of the 2008 AFL Grand Final against Geelong.<ref name="ageart">{{cite news|last=Boulton|first=Martin|title=The Hawks give three new faces the go-ahead|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/the-hawks-give-three-new-faces-the-goahead/2009/03/26/1237657072647.html|access-date=30 May 2011|newspaper=The Age|date=27 March 2009}}</ref> The 20-year-old defender was one of three Hawks playing their first game in the MCG blockbuster.<ref name="ageart"/> Omitted the next week because of injury, Suckling was unable to break back into the side; he was listed as an emergency later in the year. In 2010 he played five games, and was on the verge of selection for most of the season.

2011 was a breakthrough year for Suckling; with his precision kicking and link-up play he became a key to Hawthorn's defence. Characteristic of his style of play is his very long range, very accurate kicking.<ref name="Belkin"/>

Suckling was selected as the Australia international rules football team's goalkeeper for the 2011 International Rules Series in Australia. Australia lost the series 2–0, with a 130–65 aggregate score. Suckling was one of two Hawthorn players selected for the team, along with Liam Shiels.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

Suckling was one of three Hawthorn players to play every game in 2012.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

During the 2013 NAB Cup pre season competition Suckling tore his anterior cruciate ligament whilst playing against Richmond. Suckling missed the entire 2013 season due to the injury that required a full knee reconstruction.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

Suckling returned to the side in 2014, and would go on to claim his elusive premiership medal in the club's 2014 Grand Final win. He followed this up with a premiership win in 2015, starting the game as a substitute and coming on late in the third quarter for David Hale; with the abolition of the substitute rule at the end of the 2015 AFL season, this meant that Suckling became the last player to be substituted into a game under the original AFL substitute rules.

Following the Grand Final, Suckling exercised his right as a free agent and joined the Western Bulldogs. In his first season at the Western Bulldogs Suckling was unfortunate to miss the Preliminary Final and Grand Final victories with an Achilles injury. Suckling became a regular in the Bulldogs' backline but in 2018 after playing 11 games he suffered an achilles injury ultimately ended his season. He returned to form in 2019 playing 19 games but only managed 7 games in his final season.

Suckling was delisted by the {{AFL WB}} at the conclusion of the 2020 AFL season, after 76 games for the club over his five years at the club.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Western Bulldogs delist two veterans|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-western-bulldogs-delist-two-veterans-20201117-p56ffv.html|last1=Ryan|first1=Peter|date=17 November 2020|work=The Age|access-date=17 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bulldogs announce further list changes|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/836659/bulldogs-announce-further-list-changes|access-date=17 November 2020|date=17 November 2020|work=Western Bulldogs Media}}</ref>

Suckling retired at the conclusion of the 2020 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CIST_9iB_D7/ | title=Matthew S U C K L I N G 🐷 on Instagram: "I've gone back and forth over this decision for the most part of this season, and now it's clear that it's the right time. I've loved the past 14 years and I'll be forever grateful to the two clubs that allowed me to live out my childhood dream. I've experienced all the highs and lows that come with being an AFL footballer. Thankyou to everyone who has helped and supported throughout this journey. I'm super excited and ready to start the next chapter of life. 🤎💛 💙❤️" }}</ref>

==Statistics== {{AFL player statistics legend}} {{AFL player statistics start with votes}} |- | 2007 || {{AFL Haw}} || 42 | 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | 2008 || {{AFL Haw}} || 42 | 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | 2009 || {{AFL Haw}} || 42 | 1 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 9 || 14 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 5.0 || 9.0 || 14.0 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 0 |- | 2010 || {{AFL Haw}} || 31 | 5 || 0 || 1 || 42 || 31 || 73 || 16 || 6 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 8.4 || 6.2 || 14.6 || 3.2 || 1.2 || 0 |- | 2011 || {{AFL Haw}} || 31 | 23 || 8 || 11 || 351 || 140 || 491 || 138 || 45 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 15.3 || 6.1 || 21.3 || 6.0 || 2.0 || 4 |- | 2012 || {{AFL Haw}} || 4 | 25 || 16 || 11 || 333 || 166 || 499 || 140 || 40 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 13.3 || 6.6 || 20.0 || 5.6 || 1.6 || 5 |- | 2013 || {{AFL Haw}} || 4 | 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | bgcolor=F0E68C | '''2014'''<sup>#</sup> || {{AFL Haw}} || 4 | 23 || 12 || 8 || 306 || 173 || 479 || 113 || 32 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 13.3 || 7.5 || 20.8 || 4.9 || 1.4 || 1 |- | bgcolor=F0E68C | '''2015'''<sup>#</sup> || {{AFL Haw}} || 4 | 25 || 15 || 15 || 323 || 160 || 483 || 143 || 43 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 12.9 || 6.4 || 19.3 || 5.7 || 1.7 || 0 |- | 2016 || {{AFL WB}} || 1 | 17 || 7 || 9 || 218 || 128 || 346 || 79 || 30 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 12.8 || 7.5 || 20.4 || 4.6 || 1.8 || 0 |- | 2017 || {{AFL WB}} || 1 | 22 || 9 || 15 || 297 || 160 || 457 || 106 || 41 || 0.4 || 0.7 || 13.5 || 7.3 || 20.8 || 4.8 || 1.9 || 0 |- | 2018 || {{AFL WB}} || 1 | 11 || 5 || 9 || 160 || 109 || 269 || 61 || 15 || 0.5 || 0.8 || 14.5 || 9.9 || 24.5 || 5.5 || 1.4 || 2 |- | 2019 || {{AFL WB}} || 1 | 19 || 10 || 11 || 296 || 101 || 397 || 104 || 38 || 0.5 || 0.6 || 15.6 || 5.3 || 20.9 || 5.5 || 2.0 || 0 |- | 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} || {{AFL WB}} || 1 | 7 || 3 || 0 || 48 || 22 || 70 || 26 || 2 || 0.4 || 0.0 || 6.9 || 3.1 || 10.0 || 3.7 || 0.3 || 0 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3| Career<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Matt_Suckling.html Matt Suckling's player profile at AFL Tables]</ref> ! 178 !! 85 !! 90 !! 2379 !! 1199 !! 3578 !! 928 !! 292 !! 0.5 !! 0.5 !! 13.4 !! 6.7 !! 20.1 !! 5.2 !! 1.6 !! 12 |}

'''Notes''' {{notelist}}

==Honours and achievements== '''Team''' *'''2× AFL premiership player ({{AFL Haw}})''': 2014, 2015 *'''2× Minor premiership ({{AFL Haw}})''': 2012, 2013

'''Individual''' * '''Australia international rules football team''': 2011

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{AFL Tables|M/Matt_Suckling}}

{{navboxes|list1= {{2014 Hawthorn premiership players}} {{2015 Hawthorn premiership players}} {{2007 AFL rookie draft}} {{2009 AFL rookie draft}} {{2009 AFL national draft}} {{2011 Australian international rules team}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suckling, Matt}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Hawthorn Football Club players Category:Hawthorn Football Club premiership players Category:Western Bulldogs players Category:Box Hill Football Club players Category:Australian rules footballers from Wagga Wagga Category:Australia international rules football team players Category:VFL/AFL premiership players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen