Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson has paid an emotional tribute to his brother following his death, vowing to support his family in the years ahead.
Dawson missed the Crows’ win over St Kilda at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, watching from the stands as fans and the wider AFL community rallied around him.
During the match, a tribute to his brother Jaryd was shown on the big screen at the 12-minute mark of the first quarter, a nod to Dawson’s No. 12 guernsey, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd. Dawson was seen in tears as he watched on.
On Sunday, he broke his silence with a heartfelt message.
“My brother. My idol. The hole in my heart hurts so bad pal but I know you’re at peace,” Dawson wrote.
“You made me who I am today and I’m going to pass every bit of that competitive, stubborn, caring and passionate nature onto your beautiful boy.
“Huddy and Jess have an army behind them. I’ll miss you and love you forever Rod.”
The post quickly drew an outpouring of support from across the AFL and broader sporting community.
Teammate Taylor Walker wrote: “Love ya skip”, while the club added: “We love you Daws”.
Messages also came from current and former players, media personalities and Australian athletes, including Travis Head, Min Woo Lee and Mitchell Marsh.
Australian singer Guy Sebastian also shared his support, writing: “Big love to you and the family brother. The pain is immeasurable and we are all with you.”
Jaryd Dawson, 35, had been reported missing on Tuesday and was found dead the following day after a 24-hour search in Robe, in South Australia’s south-east.
Speaking after the match, Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks described it as “a really emotional week”.
“To get a win is a great result,” he said.
“When you spend time in a footy club like we are, you realise how lucky you are to be in a position like this when circumstances play out the way they did this week — in a really tough time for someone who means a lot to us and a family that mean a lot to us.
“So we’re lucky. The footy club has done a great job, and it was good to have Daws here with the group.”
Image: Instagram
