Weekend highlights for Aiden Boyce were all about family and football.

On Saturday night, Aiden was named the A Grade Best and Fairest Player and one of two Players of the Year by his Ipswich Rugby League Club, West End.

On Sunday, he and his partner, Sharni Kaatz, learned the baby they’re expecting in February, is a boy.

Taking home the two top awards from the Club’s presentation night was a surprise for Aiden.

“I expected I’d get something,” Aiden said, “but both these awards were not what I’d expected.

West End Bulldogs A Grade team were second last on the ladder this season, but the low rung result didn’t preclude commentators noticing Aiden’s skills as a hooker.

“He was the heart and soul of the Bulldogs this year,” wrote Anthony Breeze in the Queensland Times.

“The tireless performer is a strong defender with a great passing game.”

Breeze went on to select Aiden in his Ipswich ‘team of teams’, which he chose from players in the seven Clubs in the IRL A Grade competition.

Aiden, who attended Boonah High School, began playing rugby with the Fassifern Bombers juniors in the Under 14s in 2010.

Two years later, he played for Brothers in the junior division.

Last year he was approached by one of the West End coaches to try out for the Reserve Grade, made the team and was this year promoted into A Grade.

These two seasons with West End have resulted in Aiden settling into the position as Hooker, where he says he hopes to continue.

And his plans for next season?

“I’m going to try to get back into the Ipswich Jets to play in the Intrust Super Cup competition,” he said, explaining that it was the Premier league competition in south east Queensland.

Aiden was selected to play in the City of Ipswich A Grade Cup in 2017 and 2018.

But before the 2020 season starts, Aiden and Sharni, will welcome a boy into their own fan club.