2023 HFNL grand final: South Warrnambool's Dan Nicholson wins best on ground medal

The prize recruit celebrated his first Hampden league senior football premiership on Saturday, September 23 with his standout performance through the midfield and up forward earning him a best on ground medal for his efforts.

The 32-year-old, who joined partner and Roosters' open netballer Carly Watson at Friendly Societies' Park in 2023, was thrilled to finally taste premiership success.

"It's been a long journey, started at Port Fairy, spent a couple years here on the hill at (Russells) Creek and finally at the Roosters," he said. "My partner went to the Roosters and loved it so it was a pretty simple decision to come over and it's paid dividends.

"The club's been amazing, I've just come along for the journey."

Nicholson, who had been on the losing end of a Hampden league grand final at Port Fairy, said it was a special feeling to join Watson as a premiership player at South. The open netballer won her second flag in as many years on Saturday.

"I sat back last year and watched her win one and all the celebrations she enjoyed that we're about to go through together," he said. "Bring on the next four or five days, week, whatever, can't wait."

Nicholson, who has been a strong performer for the Roosters all season, was at his vintage best on grand final day, providing plenty of class with ball-in-hand, hitting the scoreboard with two majors before taking on a key match-up.

"(North's) Jett Bermingham got off the leash a little bit and I put my hand up and said I wanted that match-up and had a couple balls fall in my lap for those few goals, it panned out well for us," Nicholson said.

The former AFL player enjoyed the opportunity to play his part in South Warrnambool's first flag in 12 years and repay the kindness the club had shown him since before he even pulled on a Roosters jumper.

"Every time I came and watched (Carly), the club just embraced me, I had nothing to do with them and they embraced me and my daughter (Avah, 11)," he said. "I take her to the game and I don't see her until the end of the game, she's in the canteen with the ladies, helping there.

"The whole club's just embraced us as a whole, I can't thank them enough."

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