The number 24 is becoming pretty significant to St Kilda’s Rosie Dillon.
It was 24 months ago that Dillon realised she could make it to the elite level if she put in the hard yards.
After admitting she needed to “pull her finger out” to achieve her childhood dream, the No. 24 Hawk knuckled down to piece together an eye-catching 2019 campaign.
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Best-and-fairest honours for Hawthorn and a place in the VFLW Team of the Year capped off her remarkable year, but it was yesterday where she received the greatest award.
Dillon was selected by St Kilda with pick No. 24 in the 2019 AFLW Draft, in the process becoming the 24th member of the Saints’ inaugural list.
“It feels good, pretty crazy... I don’t really know what to say, I’m lost for words,” Dillon told saints.com.au moments after she’d been drafted.
The 23-year-old found her way to Moorabbin following a terrific Season 2019 in the VFLW, averaging 17 disposals and six tackles across her 14 matches.
Incredibly, the Hawthorn vice-captain registered among the best on ground 11 times.
And although standing at just 153cm, Dillon packs quite the punch.
Her inside grunt, ability to break apart packs and rack up contested possessions has held her in high regard, particularly off the back of her break-out season.
They’re all traits she hopes to bring to the red, white and black in Season 2020, along with some “bloody good tackles”.
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Football has always been a part of Dillon’s life, starting all the way back from her junior days as an Auskicker.
After toiling through the ranks of the Whitehorse Colts, the hard-nosed midfielder earned herself a place as part of Hawthorn’s VFLW list in 2017.
Now, after almost 24 years of pursuing her dream, St Kilda is her home.
