Dawson reflects on decade-long journey to 200 games with Kookaburras

A new dad to six-month-old Darcy, a 30^th birthday around the corner and now a 200-Test hockey player for Australia.

The Norths defender notched up the career milestone on Sunday evening during a five-game series with India in Perth, a decade on from debuting against the same opponents in the same city.

Dawson reflected on the double-century mark with an eye still firmly on this year's Olympic campaign in Paris and the Kookaburras striving to go one better than Tokyo's silver medal from 2021.

"Probably a lot more emotion for me in the debut," Dawson told the Newcastle Herald.

"Rob Hammond was the previous number six and he presented me with my shirt. Now he's an assistant coach of our group which is a unique story.

"I think I was pretty young and raw and just really happy to be there at the time [in 2014]. Now I've made a lot of choices to be where I am today so I guess the 200 games is validating for a career I'm pretty happy about.

"There is still one box unticked [Olympic gold] and hopefully come August this year we'll have that box ticked."

Dawson admits it was "pretty special" carrying his only son on the field while his wife, parents and sisters also attended.

Australia beat India 4-2 in game two having started with a 5-1 victory just 24 hours earlier.

Play continues on Wednesday before fixtures on Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, closer to home and back-to-back title holders Norths remain winless from the first two rounds of the men's Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League after going down 3-1 to hosts Maitland on Sunday.

A second-half double from Lukas Gremm saw Souths beat Tigers 2-0 while Hugh Wickert's third-quarter goal helped Gosford defeat Wests 1-0.

In the women's competition it was 2023 champions Oxfords opening with a 5-0 result against Tigers at Newcastle International Hockey Centre on Saturday.