Grand Final debut for Hugh Dixon

AS East Fremantle searches for its first premiership in a quarter of a century one of the club’s stars is preparing for his own football first in the 2023 WAFL Grand Final.

Hugh Dixon has never played in a premiership decider, a prospect he describes as exciting heading into Sunday’s showdown with Peel Thunder.

“I think every team that gets the opportunity to play in a Grand Final has their chance of creating a special piece of history,” Dixon said.

“25 years between flags is a long time, particularly for a club like East Fremantle with such a rich and successful history.

“I’m sure the East Fremantle supporters are just as keen as a flag as the players.”

In 18 games this season, Dixon has averaged 16 disposals a game, kicking 16 goals as a forward and he’s been more than useful in the ruck, producing nearly 300 hit outs.

But the 24-year-old, like many footballers, is his own worst critic.

“In all honesty I was pretty disappointed with my start to the season,” he said.

“I felt it took me six games or so to get into the swing of it. I got moved into the ruck about halfway through the year which I really enjoyed and allowed me to get around the ball a bit more.

“Towards the back end of the year I’ve been able to have a bit more of an impact on games as a forward and started hitting the scoreboard.”

Since being taken at pick 44 in the 2017 AFL National Draft, Dixon is one of only a few players to have represented both the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles.

He played one game for the Dockers before representing the Eagles on 10 occasions in 2022.

Now in his second stint at the Sharks, Dixon’s AFL background means he won’t be daunted by a big crowd at Optus Stadium.

“During my time in the AFL the biggest take away I took in terms of team success is good leadership, which applies to any football club, be it AFL or WAFL.

“At East Fremantle in 2021 I could see that this club had good leadership with captain Mathew Jupp and the leadership group under him, so when I came back this year I could see how strong the playing culture was and that gave me confidence coming into the season.”

The Sharks head into the Grand Final having won the second semi-final over Peel, but only having played one game in September.

“Our training has stayed relatively standard over the last month,” Dixon said.

“We adjusted our training days to align with the Sunday game and we had a good session on Sunday morning with an emphasis on intensity and match simulation to try keep us as sharp as possible coming into Grand Final week.

“Keeping in mind this time of the year can also be a lot about management of players who are sore or carrying niggles which can make it a bit challenging.”

While Peel is on the verge of their third premiership, East Fremantle is one win away from a remarkable 30 WAFL flags.

“Peel Thunder is a quality opposition who we respect,” Dixon said.

“Two out of the three games we have played so far this year have been within a kick, so we know it’s going to be a hard-fought match.”