Brisbane defender Kate Lutkins will play her fiftieth AFLW recreation for the membership within the grand closing towards Melbourne after overcoming darkish days to make a surprising return from harm.
Lutkins ruptured an ACL towards Adelaide in January at first of AFLW season six and was not anticipated to be again this yr, however she is going to line up towards the Demons on Sunday on the Lions’ new residence base in Springfield.
Her self-confessed cussed nature and dedication got here to the fore because the 34-year-old fought her manner again to the taking part in area within the round-six win over Essendon on October 2.
Lutkins took the steerage of the physios and conditioning employees and labored in the direction of getting again for AFLW season seven as soon as it was introduced ahead.
“There definitely were some dark days. I think there are with any kind of injury, especially those long-term ones,” she mentioned.
“I was very fortunate with my recovery from the surgery that I had a really good crew around me.
“There are just a few women within the workforce which have had the identical process so I actually leant on them, the workforce and the employees.
“An ACL is a really individual injury so I guess I didn’t really put anyone as a benchmark or challenge myself to get back in any time.
“I’m actually aggressive and actually cussed and do get pleasure from a problem. Once the season did get moved ahead I needed to do my finest to get again by this season.”
Lutkins was the best on ground in the Lions’ inaugural premiership win in 2021 and is integral to their title hopes.
They did not rush her return however. She said she had confidence in her body from her first game back.
“I’m seven video games in and proper from the beginning I had the boldness within the knee,” she mentioned.
“Otherwise I would not have been on the market and the employees would not have let me again on the market.
“The girls around me have been amazing letting me play my role each and every week.”
Lutkins’ mindset going into any recreation is to offer her finest and nothing will change on Sunday in her milestone match.
“I am really proud to end up in the final dance at the end of the season alongside the girls,” she mentioned.
“That is pretty incredible. It is cool that it is my 50th.”
Springfield is positioned within the metropolis of Ipswich, the place Lutkins went to highschool and the place she has loads of help.
“I am pretty excited to play here in Ipswich, which is my hometown, with my family alongside me watching,” she mentioned.
“They are really excited to watch the girls play and have followed the team since season one.”
