Beginning his footy career with another local team, Dickins first took to the senior footy field at Oaklands in 1989 where he played in a premiership team alongside his dad and two uncles as a 15-year-old.
In 1990 he joined the Roos and was elevated to the seniors after only one reserves match before helping to lead the charge into a Grand Final in 1991.
Corowa premiership coach and fellow hall of famer Peter Tossol speaking on the ‘On Reflection’ blog described the type of player Dickins was and how the Corowa crowd took to him.
“The Corowa crowd loved him (Dickins), and I soon found out why,” Tossol said on the ‘Roos hop to dual premiership glory’ blog.
“He’d do the freakish, team-lifting things…like, dive five metres to smother a ball, or take a sensational mark for such a little fellah.’
“And he had a great chemistry with his ruckman, Brendan Eyers. He was a bit of a wild spirit, one of those left-field blokes but he was a wonderful player, a true champion.”
This was made evident when he went on to win his first best and fairest at the Roos in 1998 after a few years away from the club, playing in north Queensland and joining O&M rival, Wodonga Raiders.
In the 2000 grand final versus North Albury, Dickins, who went head-to-head with 2000 Morris Medallist Corey Lambert, had 16 kicks, 17 handballs and 8 marks.
The 108-point whitewash still stands the greatest Grand Final winning margin by any club in the history of the Ovens and Murray.
Dickins influence on the star-studded Roos team of 2000 was again recognised by the club as he claimed his second best and fairest.
“The highlight of my career was definitely the grand final in 2000,” Dickins said.
“I just used to go and play the game the best I could.
“My family did all the hard work, I just had to play the game, they got me there.”
Again in 2003 the Roos, renowned that season for their explosive openings, were inspired by Dickins, recuperating from a badly corked thigh sustained in the Preliminary Final.
Still inconvenienced, Dickins confronted the pain in the big dance with typical grit and courage to be a major playmaker in the game busting opening term before finally succumbing at the 20-minute mark of the third term. Dickins played a major role but watched the final siren from the bench as the Roos claimed their second premiership in three years.
Three fellow football stalwarts, one who spent some time at the Roos, Myrtleford and Wodonga Bulldogs, Terry Burgess Junior; Wodonga’s Des Richardson and Albury’s Daniel Maher will be also admitted to the league’s Hall of Fame.
Albury’s Jim Matthews will also become a posthumous inductee, Fiona Boyer from North Albury will be the only netball inductee for 2025 and Wangaratta Rover Steve Norman will be upgraded to legend.
