7 ▁against ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁Dem ons , ▁Mal ces ki ▁was ▁awarded ▁best ▁on ▁ground ▁with ▁ 2 8 ▁dispos als ▁and ▁ 1 ▁goal . ▁A ▁great ▁season ▁performance ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁resulted ▁Mal ces ki ▁to ▁be ▁runner - up ▁in ▁the ▁clubs ▁pr estig ious ▁Sk il ton ▁Medal , ▁only ▁second ▁to ▁Sydney ▁mid f iel der ▁Bre tt ▁Kirk . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁break - out ▁year ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Mal ces ki ▁and ▁Sw ans ▁co aching ▁staff ▁had ▁high ▁hopes ▁for ▁an ▁even ▁more ▁successful ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁However , ▁their ▁hopes ▁were ▁delivered ▁a ▁cruel ▁blow ▁when ▁Mal ces ki ▁suffered ▁what ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁serious ▁kne e ▁injury ▁to ▁his ▁right ▁kne e ▁after ▁he ▁tw isted ▁it ▁when ▁changing ▁direction ▁during ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁quarter ▁of ▁the ▁Sw ans ▁Round ▁ 1 , ▁N AB ▁Cup ▁cl ash ▁with ▁Haw th orn ▁in ▁Tas mania . ▁It ▁was ▁expected ▁that ▁the ▁kne e ▁injury ▁would ▁rule ▁Mal ces ki ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁however , ▁a ▁synth etic ▁lig ament ▁was ▁installed ▁into ▁the ▁kne e ▁and ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁side ▁in ▁a ▁game ▁against ▁Ess end on ▁mid - way ▁through ▁the ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁after ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁disappoint ing ▁form ▁and ▁recovery ▁from ▁his ▁serious ▁kne e ▁injury , ▁Mal ces ki ▁returned ▁to ▁his ▁best