VFL clubs numbed by the death of Chris Michaliades
Representing the VFL in a state game against the WAFL was a career highlight for former Sandringham and Port Melbourne speedster Chris Michaliades, who has died at the age of 29.
Victorian Football
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Chris Michaliades was so keen to play in the VFL that he sent an email to Sandringham ahead of the 2011 season and asked if he could train.
He was 19 and hadn’t played in the TAC Cup for the team in which he was zoned, Eastern Ranges.
Overlooked for Ranges squads at Under 16 level, Michaliades played senior football for Upper Ferntree Gully in 2009, winning its most courageous award.
Twelve months earlier he and future Melbourne AFL forward Tim “Bull’’ Smith had shared the club’s “rising star’’ trophy.
Wanting to play at a higher standard of football, Michaliades moved to Knox a year later.
Then it was on to the VFL.
His email well received by Sandy GM John Mennie, he was given permission to train at Sandy, and he quickly took eyes with his neat skills and speed.
He made the list. And a few months later he made his senior debut under the coaching of Brett Lovett, who noted his young player’s energy, ability to run with the ball and his willingness to tackle.
Michaliades went on to have a VFL career that took in the highs of training with St Kilda and being chosen for the representative team.
He called his stint with the Saints “an amazing experience’’. A builder, he took eight weeks off work to train with them.
“Tough. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be,’’ he said. “That first week, I’d get home from training at three or four o’clock and go straight to bed. After that the body started to get used to the routine,’’ he said.
Hearts are heavy in the VFL following news that Chris had died last Thursday at the age of 29. His death was accidental, his brother, Johnny, said in a social media post.
Teammates and coaches remembered him as much for his smile and his happy ways as his football.
Former Sandy assistant Paul Kennedy said he “lit up the changerooms’’.
Mennie said this morning: “Terribly sad news. Chris was a young kid when he came to Sandy and he strived to be the best he possibly could and he gave it his all. He was a great clubman, very well liked around the place.’’
Frustrated by injury, Michaliades had dropped out of the football scene at the end of the 2015 season, by which time he was playing at Port Melbourne. He had joined Port in 2014, following his great mate and housemate Marcus Marigliani to the Borough.
He had some good moments but was never at his best. At one stage a workplace injury kept him on the sidelines; he was often unavailable to the selectors.
Sandy supporters certainly took in some slashing football from the 175cm right-footer.
He was best first-year player in 2011, most determined in 2012 and most courageous in 2013, the season when he joined teammates Marigliani and Adam Cockie in playing for the VFL against the WAFL. He held his own with two goals.
He remarked later that it had been a great experience to wear the Victorian jumper, particularly alongside his Sandy captain, Marigliani.
The VFL selection pushed him up as a draft prospect, with his pace and ability to snaffle a goal and create pressure with terrier tackling putting him in recruiting books in a batch of VFL hopefuls that included Kane Lambert, Ben Brown, Sam Lloyd, David Mirra, Scott Sherlock and Adam Marcon.
Michaliades had made his VFL debut against Geelong’s VFL team in 2011.
Lining up at half forward, he played on premiership Cat Josh Hunt.
“Sh.t myself!’’ he said with a laugh in an interview with Leader in 2013. “He wasn’t happy to be playing VFL. Not as happy as I was.’’
Chris had been an outstanding junior at Upper Ferntree Gully, winning three best and fairests, the Under 13 league medal, and premierships with the Under 15 and Under 18s.
UFG said yesterday there was a possibility he would return to the club it this year “but unfortunately that never eventuated’’.
“Chris was always described over the years as a champion young man, quality footballer and a pleasure to be associated with, and will be deeply missed by many.’’
Funeral arrangements are being made.