Childhood sweethearts and partners for life: The love story of Crows captain Jordan Dawson and Milly Dutton

Adelaide Crows captain Jordan Dawson knew Milly Dutton was the one from the moment the childhood sweethearts shared their first kiss on a Robe footy oval.

In the moments before his grandmother passed away, Crows captain Jordan Dawson asked for her blessing to use a sapphire from one of her rings to propose to his partner Milly Dutton.

With her eternal blessing, Dawson popped the question to Ms Dutton under a tall Willow Tree in front of Ms Dutton’s grandmother’s home in England last year.

“It was pretty special,” Dawson, 25, said of his romantic proposal.

Now the childhood sweethearts, who haven’t gone a day without speaking to each other since meeting in Year 7, are engaged with plans to marry in early 2024, in a European inspired outdoor wedding in the Barossa Valley.

Crows Captain Jordan Dawson with fiancee Milly Dutton at Pepperjack Winery at Angaston. Picture: Sarah Reed

The pair met in hometown Robe, on the Limestone Coast, where they shared their first kiss on the town’s football oval.

It was then Dawson knew Ms Dutton was “the one”.

“We’re us,” he said. “We just work together.”

Despite a brief pause in their relationship during high school – they both attended Scotch College in Adelaide – the pair rekindled after Dawson showed up on the doorstep of Ms Dutton’s family home in Robe during one off-season.

“That was it, we decided to commit to the distance,” Ms Dutton said.

At the time, Ms Dutton was living in SA while Dawson was playing for the Sydney Swans.

“It’s nice as well when you come from a small town and you move into, well Adelaide felt like a big city at the time and you’re (Dawson) in Sydney, you just cling to people from home and who feel like home,” Ms Dutton said.

“We’re always like that for each other.”

Milly said fiancee Dawson feels like “home”. Picture: Sarah Reed

In the lead up to the much anticipated Showdown battle on Saturday, Dawson and his Ms Dutton visited Pepperjack Cellar Door to enjoy a preview of a wine tasting created especially for the upcoming Gather Round.

While Ms Dutton is “very nervous” in the upcoming clash against Port, Dawson – who last year was hailed a hero after he kicked an after the siren goal to win the game – is keeping his cool as he prepares for his first Showdown as captain.

“It’s obviously a big week for the club and for the state and for me, I’m really excited,” Dawson told The Advertiser.

“It’s always a huge game to play in. As captain … I just want to make sure we play well and we put a show on for the fans and get the first win for the year.”

Originally published as Childhood sweethearts and partners for life: The love story of Crows captain Jordan Dawson and Milly Dutton