The lure of playing with his 17 year old brother Cody was enough to ensure Jay stayed in the game. "I’ve watched him play since he was such young kid, now to have him next to me at training and in the games is a bit surreal really," he said.
It’s great for me, and it's great for my parents [former player and Tuggeranong president Ollie and Sharon] as well, they love seeing us out there."
Jay Kickett has been a club best and fairest, played eight years of representative football and featured in one grand final appearance – a loss to Ainslie in 1997.
Both Kicketts have been in preseason training for the past five weeks. Tuggeranong may be coachless but has only lost one player from this year's team after the retirement of Ben Funnell.
This is in stark contrast to the league's other clubs who are set to lose a host of influential players.
Eastlake has lost Nathan Clarke, Aaron Rogers and Stafford Cooper while premier Belconnen loses Steve Mahar, Brock Weston and James Bennett. Ainslie is set to lose 2008 Mulrooney medallist Ryan Lewis and new Western Bulldog Jason Tutt. The Sydney Swans have had a huge player turnover while Queanbeyan has been hit by injury.
"It is a great opportunity for Tuggeranong in the next few years, " Kickett said. "Really, it's a great chance for us to take, particularly as apart from a few of us older players, most of the group is 18 to 24." "If they can stay together there are some great signs there."
Tuggeranong president Bob Hughes said the club hoped to appoint a new coach in the next week.
The Hawks decided controversially not to reappoint Michael Horne at the end of this season and advertised for a coach almost two months ago.
Pictured: Seventeen year-old Cody Kickett, left, and his brother Jay, 32, will run around together for the Tuggeranong Hawks next year
By Merryn Sherwood, The Canberra Times Photo: Graham Tidy
Last Modified on 26/04/2010 15:13