Nathan Dawes’ journey to become the games record holder at Hampton Park has been nothing short of incredible.
Resilience, loyalty and commitment are three words which only begin to describe Dawes and the immeasurable impact he’s had on Hampton Park across his 389 games.
A huge crowd of family, friends and past players ventured down to Robert Booth Reserve to watch Dawes make history – an achievement that may never be surpassed.
The 40-year-old not only overtook the record previously set by Frank Flynn (388 games), but played a blinder leading the Redbacks reserves to a 24-point victory.
What started out as a season in the Under-10s at Hampton Park more than three decades ago has turned into a fulfilling career which had it all.
From the dark times and league changes, to the senior captaincy, individual brilliance and premiership glory of 2019.
The milestone match for Dawes couldn’t have gone any better, being named best on ground in the reserves as they had a crucial win over second-placed East Malvern.
“It was a great day for the club, there were heaps of family and friends there and it was a bit overwhelming at the start,“ he said.
“I was very keen to get the game underway and got a few early touches which helped settle the nerves – from there it was just another game.
“I was so grateful for all of the love, support and messages that I received this week.
“It was great to see plenty of old teammates come down too.“
Dawes spoke of his deep passion for the club and his desire to play his entire career at Hampton Park, even when times were tough.
“I never considered leaving the club, my own personal values come from my dad and older brother and the guys at the club which I looked up to,“ he said.
“The way everyone brought me in, made me feel welcome and part of the club was a major thing and a big reason why I stuck through the bad times.
“I always wanted to be a one-club player … so having that success and seeing the club thriving the way it is has definitely made it all worth it.“
The many familiar faces in the crowd and the big buildup to the occasion had helped Dawes to comprehend the significance of his milestone.
“After talking a bit more about my career and thinking about it over the past week, I do understand how big the occasion was,“ he said.
“Speaking to a few older guys at the club, they were saying the record had been standing for about 40 years … it was always pretty much said that it would never be broken.
“I’m very proud of myself and the journey that I’ve been on, I’m proud that I stuck through those tough years and didn’t take my career for granted.“
Reflecting on some of his memories over the years, he recalled his senior debut in 2002, a memorable draw against Berwick.
“I was in my second year of Under-18s in 2002 and I got a couple of opportunities to have a run in the ones … I didn’t do too well,“ Dawes laughed.
“I was thinking what am I doing out here, these guys are massive and it’s way faster – I remember being happy going back to the 18s the next week.“
But a few years later, Dawes was a regular senior footballer and played in a losing grand final in the seniors in 2005 which was a ’sliding Dawes moment’.
“We lost to Narre by like five points, that heartbreak kicked me into gear and got me hungry to take that next step,“ he said.
“I started being more full-on with training, preparation and fitness and came runner-up in the best and fairest the following year which was a big achievement.“
When Dawes stepped away from the seniors back in 2017, he was hoping to finish his career with a couple of seasons in the reserves.
“One or two years suddenly turned into seven or eight, so I’m very happy that I got that second career out of my football,“ he said.
“I had a lot of teammates that had to pull the pin early in their careers, they would tell me to keep playing as long as I am able and enjoying it, so that stuck with me.“
In the years that followed, Dawes has aged like a fine wine, winning the past six reserves best and fairests but nothing would match the flag of 2019.
“For both teams to win the grand final in 2019, that was a proud moment for me and the biggest day of my career – I will remember it forever,“ he said.
The question on everybody’s lips on Saturday was how long will Dawes play on? Will he come back in 2026 and try to reach 400? Only time will tell.
“My main goal this year was to get to this record game and now that is done and we are in a spot to push for a grand final spot, that is the goal,“ he said.
“There is quite a big break between seasons and its a big commitment, maybe if the opportunity is there to sneak in five or six games, that might be possible but I don’t know.“
Hampton Park is on top of the ladder in the senior and reserves competitions, and a premiership could be the feather in the cap of an illustrious Hampton Park career.
