He was something of a forgotten man through the Hawks late-season surge, but no player is held deeper in the hearts of the Illawarra faithful than swingman Dan Grida.
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The feeling's mutual, and it shows. At the club's recent end-of-season awards, the 25-year-old collected his third straight Hawks Community Award for his off-court efforts on the Wollongong beat.
A third consecutive gong in the community category is unprecedented and, for a foundation club more thickly intertwined with its community than any other, significant.
It's not lost on the longest tenured current Hawk, who says he has a duty to give something back to a fanbase that has sustained him through a horrific run of injuries - a roller coaster endured almost 4000 kilometres away from friends and family in Perth.
"This is a city that has really taken me in since I got here when I was 19-20 years old," Grida said.
"Anything I can do to give back to it through community work, fundraising, anything I can, I'm going to do it. I love, love doing stuff in the community.
"I said on the [presentation] night, Wani (Swaka Lo Buluk), Davo (Will Hickey) and Tyler (Harvey) really deserved it as well.
"They were out there in the off season with me traveling around doing everything. It was a bit of a group effort, but I'm super stoked to win it three years in a row.
"You best believe I'm trying to get it again next year."
The smart odds say he will, but his ultimate plan is to repay the city on the floor when he ultimately gets back on it.
He can expect a loud cheer when he does, with the Boomers-capped livewire having learned in five years in the Gong - a wild roller coaster through ownership changes, instability and a global pandemic - that the Hawks fans are a different breed.
"I always say to Sam (Froling), I'd rather be the crowd favourite here than the best player on the team, it's a lot more fun," Grida said.
"I really feel the love from the Hawks fans all the time, whether it's at the games, walking through the streets, at the beach. They always come and say hello.
"The town's given so much to me, especially through being hurt. Everyone's always around me making sure I'm OK, so I'm going to help out in this city any way I can.
"It's been an awesome year for me in that area. I played 10 games, and had a lot of fun playing those games.
"Injury hits again as it does sometimes, but I never went back into my little shell. I wanted to stay out there, keep doing that stuff and stay around and be vocal with the team and community."
He feels that latter aspect is the single biggest area of personal growth as he wrestled the re-occurrence of chronic knee issues that ended his 2023-24 campaign prematurely.
It comes after hobbling a torturous path through two ACL tears in the space of 18 months. The second admittedly 'broke' him, and left him retreating from training and team activities.
He wasn't a recluse but, despite the fact no one could blame him, he admits he wasn't present. It was something he was determined not to repeat when ruled out for the year this time around.
His success in doing so was evident in the fact he was also awarded the coveted Players' Player award at the same awards night, a stunning feat given how limited his time on the floor was.
"When I was talking to people about it the word I use is 'touched'," Grida says of the honour.
"I'm very touched that the team would pick me for that award when I played 10 games this year. I was very happy and humbled to get that award.
"I have tried my best to be around the guys a lot, do everything I can, cheer, whatever it is to just stay engaged with this team through the [late-season] run.
"It's been easy because we were winning and it's fun, but I was very touched and very appreciative of all those boys. They're family to me, I love all those guys with everything."
The honour came as no surprise to coach Justin Tatum.
"He's true professional, unbelievable," Tatum said.
"He could sulk or pout about things that happened to him or opportunities he's not getting, but he's there every day ready to go and he uplifts the group.
"I couldn't ask for a better person to be around who is in a difficult situation."
It's a product of bitter experience, but it's something Grida will draw on as he eyes a return next year for which he remains under contract with the only club he's ever known.
"It's gotten easier, but I think that's because I've gotten stronger," Grida said of the mental drain of injuries.
"I've learned over the last few years a lot of strategies I can use to stay in it and stay engaged and happy. The first few injuries, I've said it before, it was a pretty dark time for me.
"You'd think it might be like that again but, as they've kept coming, I've just gotten better with each one, I feel stronger each time. That's been a bit different for me this year and I've loved it.
"I'm able to deal with these difficult injuries a lot easier, but I will be back. I'm going to play again, I'm going to keep playing. I'm pumped for next year already."
While he's continued to show incredible resilience through setbacks, Grida is quick to point out the fact he hasn't done it alone despite having to initially be dragged to counselling sessions following his second knee reco.
It's what's put mental health causes so close to his heart, including his current pushing of The Black Dog Institute's Mullets for Mental Health initiative during April.
His famously glorious blonde locks make him a natural fit for the campaign, but he says it's his experience that truly drives his passion for the cause.
"I've seen how much [getting help] helped me in those dark years," Grida said.
"I know there's a bunch of guys out there that are probably struggling like I was, that aren't getting help like I wasn't.
"I just thought 'I'm going to work my arse off and get through it all, but sometimes that's just not enough.
"I tell people 'always reach out, always talk to people, talk to anyone'. I talk to everyone I know, and that's a massive thing, just opening up and being vulnerable.
"It's important, and Mullets For Mental health is through The Black Dog Institute, it's their fundraiser for mental health that I'm taking part in right now.
"Anyone can hit the link in my bio on my Instagram page and go donate. It's a very good fundraiser to get around."
You can support Dan Grida's Mullets for Mental Health fundraising effort by clicking this link
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
