Sheffield Steeldogs Jason Hewitt looking to get over frustrating season by clinching NIHL National play-off triumph

The former GB international has missed more than half of the 2022-23 season after dislocating his shoulder just a handful of games in.

His recovery was hampered further due to a broken collar bone sustained during his rehab and, despite returning to the fray in mid-January, the 39-year-old admits it is only in the past few weeks that he has started to feel back to his old self.

Tonight sees the Steeldogs host Swindon Wildcats in the first leg of their play-off quarter-final, with the two locking horns to settle the tie at the Link Centre on Saturday evening.

The Steeldogs finished fourth in the regular season standings, one place and a comfortable eight points clear of the Wildcats, although Aaron Nell’s team enjoyed the head-to-head bragging rights in the six-game series between the two, winning four games to the Steeldogs’ two.

To buy tickets for Friday night’s quarter-final first leg between Sheffield Steeldogs and Swindon Wildcats at Ice Sheffield go HERE

Hewitt believes Greg Wood’s team have probably over-achieved this season, having contended with not just his own long-term absence, but injuries sustained by the likes of James Spurr and Matt Bissonnette, as well as Alex Graham’s sporadic availability given his two-way agreement from neighbouring Sheffield Steelers.

Graham is with the Steeldogs this weekend, with Wood’s team also buoyed by the likelihood that both Charlie Thompson and James Spurr will also be able to play some part against Swindon.

“You have to give credit to all of the guys who have carried the team,” said Hewitt. “Biss has probably missed 10 or more games and we’ve not had Alex (Graham) for about 20 games with him being with the Steelers.

“So guys like Vlads (Latvian forward, Vladislav Vulkanovs) and a lot of the other younger guys have gained massive experience this year. Going forward that will really help us.

“To gather that many points again this season, with everything we’ve dealt with, is a real credit to everyone.”

Overall, Hewitt - second only to Leeds Knights’ Kieran Brown in the league’s points-scoring in the 2021-22 campaign - has still had an impact for the Steeldogs, posting 59 points, including 22 goals, from his 31 league appearances. But he admits it has been a frustrating time getting back to full fitness.

“It’s been a long time playing catch-up really and it’s frustrating because I sort of hold myself to a standard that I have become used to,” he added. “And when you can’t produce like that and you can’t perform like you are used to doing, it can get frustrating.

“It’s not even about points or anything like that, more if the team’s struggling or losing, you want to be there to help win those games for the team and when you can’t do that, it makes it all the more frustrating.”

To buy tickets for Friday night’s quarter-final first leg between Sheffield Steeldogs and Swindon Wildcats at Ice Sheffield go HERE