Dylan Hixon stands before his fellow Singleton Roosters ahead of the 2023 AFL Hunter Central Coast season. (Photo: Alex Tigani)
Singleton Roosters’ senior president Dylan Hixon will line-up for his 100th club game this Saturday.
Though the Roosters’ Men’s Cup side will enjoy the bye, Hixon is one of two Men’s Cup players permitted to feature in the club’s Shield clash against Lake Macquarie.
The milestone has generated much interest into the clash as Hixon received well wishes from past and present teammates throughout the week.
Hixon’s former coach Steph Nester is one of many notable figures to have congratulated the ball winner on reaching the milestone.
He already looks forward to seeing him play another 100 games in the coming years.
Hixon pictured moments after slotting a goal in his side’s 175-point defeat to Terrigal Avoca in 2019.
“As a footballer it’s brilliant,” Nester explained.
“As a footballer to introduce him to the club, to see him embrace it and now leading the club. It’s amazing.”
“Personally, it’s more about our friendship that has developed in our time at the club and his journey to 100 games.
“I’m extremely proud of him and his journey.”
Dylan was appointed as the club’s senior president in October, 2022.
Hixon made headlines in October when taking over the club presidency at the tender age of 25.
He listed his four priorities on the back page of The Hunter River Times’ on Friday, October 21 which were finding a junior vice president, bringing back a reserve grade side, welcoming new players to the sport and organising a ten-year reunion for the club’s 2010 and 2012 premiership teams (see story).
Since then, three have been delivered while the latter is in the works for the coming weeks.
Plenty of work has taken place thus far for the senior president in 2023.
Nester first came across the former rugby league junior when Hixon was trying his hand at AFL in a Paul Kelly Cup clash.
“He was a bull on the footy field and at the time I was scouting for players for my under 17s team,” he continued.
“As soon as I saw him I knew he had a quality, and asked for an intro from one of his mates Gary Eade.
“Once we met, we clicked.
“Unfortunately, if memory serves me right he was just too old for our squad but we got him involved and invited him to come and train with the club’s senior squad.”
Hixon pictured in 2019 after his side’s trial match against Cardiff.
Nester noted that the game and how it flows is a hard thing to learn, especially coming into the sport at an older age.
Yet he described Hixon as an inclusion who was eager to learn as much he could and his attitude was infectious.
As for his advice this weekend?
“Enjoy,” Nester concluded.
“We all play for the love of the game.
“Never lose sight of that.
“Rally around your teammates and enjoy.”
ROUND 2 @ TULKABA PARK
12PM – WOMEN’S CUP
Lake Macquarie vs. Singleton Roosterettes
2PM – MEN’S SHIELD
Lake Macquarie vs. Singleton Roosters
Big thanks to our sponsors
AFL Hunter Central Coast
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