Rokewood-Corindhap makes best start to Central Highlands league in honour of Jayden Hayes

The death of Ballarat’s Jayden Hayes has inspired his football club to have its best start to a season in years as it looks to honour his legacy. Here’s how they plan to pay tribute to the mate they call Tickets.

Jayden Hayes playing for Rokewood Corindhap before his death last October. Picture: Rokewood Corindhap.

Rokewood Corindhap is driving towards a historic first for them in the Central Highlands league inspired by playing for their fallen mate, Jayden ‘Tickets’ Hayes.

The Hoppers have started the season with three straight wins for the first time since joining the league in 2011 and are aiming for their first finals appearance.

Since joining the competition in 2011, from the Lexton Plains league, the team has never made the finals in seniors.

A big inspiration is their desire to honour Hayes, 30, who died in his sleep from a medical episode in October.

His death rocked not only the footy club but his cricket team, Ballarat-Redan which fell short of winning an historic Division 1 premiership in the Ballarat Cricket Association.

Hayes played footy for the Hoppers for more than a decade, making more than 140 appearances for the club.

The Rokewood Corindhap players show the number 54 on their training tops, in tribute to Jayden Hayes who wore the number for the club. Picture: Rokewood Corindhap.

Hoppers president Addy Walton said the club had ensured Hayes’ legacy had been prominent in the club’s planning in the off-season.

“The footballers and the netballers all had new training tops made up this year with 54 on the back, which is Tickets’ number,” Walton said.

“We’ve got 60 to 70 training singlets that all have Hayes’ number on it.

“The players have driven it.

“The seniors have been wearing black armbands for every game and will continue to do it.

“His 54 jumper is in the rooms for every game for seniors and reserves.

“So they remember that Tickets was a big member of the club and something we don’t want to forget.”

Walton said the 54 number wasn’t being used this year and it could be permanently retired in honour of Hayes.

“It’s a number we hold special to us,” he said.

“We haven’t made a decision but we presented the jumper back to his family.

“Hopefully the family have been chuffed and honoured to have that back.

“I’m not sure what we are going to do (with it).”

The club hasn’t been able to officially hold a tribute to Hayes with the team’s clubrooms being upgraded through funding from the State Government and the Golden Plains Shire Council.

Hoppers player Riley Fisher tries to punch the ball away from a Creswick player. Picture: Suzi Rainsford.

The project, costing almost $4 million, is set to be completed in the next month with the first game for the club at home to be on May 24 against Waubra.

“When the new facilities are up and running and we have got some after game functions we hope to make something more of a formalised commitment (with a tribute),” Walton said.

“And remember Tickets the way he should be remembered.”

Being away from home hasn’t hurt the Hoppers on the scoreboard with the perfect start to the season.

Walton said a smooth transition to new coaches had helped the club build towards making finals for the first time.

Ed Denouden and Lucas Murphy have taken over from Shaune ‘Spider’ Moloney who guided the team to eight wins last year and 10th on the ladder.

The club has been able to retain 95 per cent of the players from last year and add players from Geelong including Jayden Symes and Tim McLennan.

The Rokewood Corindhap coaches Lucas Murphy and Eddy Denouden. Picture: Rokewood Corindhap.

“With Lucas Murphy coming out of Geelong it’s sort of opened up a few Geelong players to us,” Walton said.

“If you can go to a different pool it gives you a bit more of an opportunity than staying in the Ballarat pool.

“It’s been terrific (having both).

“Spider Maloney was our previous coach and he brought an aura with him.

“It was always going to be difficult for the next coach to take over and stamp their own authority.

“They have done it effortlessly.

“Spider gave us a great sounding board and benchmark.

“These guys have been able to continue on and retain the playing group he had and build on it.”

Walton said the goal was finals but his main objective was for the whole club to be successful.

Last week the team completed a clean sweep of wins over Creswick in all grades of football and netball.

“We’ve obviously got a plan and a goal to play senior footy finals,” he said.

“We’ve been building the team, getting the juniors coming through and getting in a few recruits.

“But we haven’t played the powerhouses yet.

“So we’re just happy to be chipping along.”

Rokewood Corindhap plays last year’s grand finalists Bungaree on Saturday in the club’s first major test of the season.

Originally published as Rokewood-Corindhap makes best start to Central Highlands league in honour of Jayden Hayes