Launceston Blues product Madison Brazendale will make her long-awaited AFLW return from injury when Greater Western Sydney take on Port Adelaide on Saturday at Alberton Oval.
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The 20-year-old has been named on the full-forward line for what will be the Giants' final match of the 10-round season.
The Giants are 15th on the ladder while the Power are 17th.
Brazendale, an elite runner, played the opening two games of the fixture before sustaining an ankle syndesmosis injury during a tackle in round two against Melbourne.
"I didn't figure out until a couple of days later that it was as bad as it was," she said.
She explained syndesmosis refers to the ligaments which support your ankle.
"I tore two and a half of them I think out of three," she said.
Surgery followed before she got stuck into her six weeks of recovery which started with wearing a moon boot.
Brazendale, who played every game in her debut season last year and won the Giants' rising star award, said it was frustrating to miss most of this campaign.
But she was glad she had a clear goal in mind.
"It was good I had a timeline of six weeks so I had the hope I could get back by the end of the season, that pushed me along to keep going," she said.
Her experience with injuries also held her in good stead.
"When I was younger I went through stress fractures which were really frustrating that I had in my feet," she said.
"I had several stress fractures and ended up getting surgery for that.
"I knew how to deal with being injured and what it's like sitting on the sidelines."
The former Riverside Primary and High School student's return game coincides with Erin Phillips' final AFLW match as well as Pride Round.
Phillips, who has played for Adelaide and Port Adelaide, has won three premierships and two AFLW best and fairest awards.
Brazendale expects it to be a huge send-off for the competition's most-decorated player.
"It's going to be a big one," she said.
The former NTFAW star, who was selected by GWS at pick 75 in last year's draft, spoke of what life had been like as an AFLW player.
"It's different being in a professional environment, it's pretty cool to be around like-minded athletes and seeing their different ways of going about things and learning from them," she said.
Endurance running is one of Brazendale's assets as a player and she grew up competing for North Launceston Athletics Club as well as playing touch footy for Aztecs.
It was only last year that she came seventh in the 400-metre hurdles at nationals in Sydney.
"I've stepped away from athletics a bit and been focusing on my footy and trying to be the best footballer I can be," she said.
"My athletics definitely helped a lot with my football and I'll always be grateful for everyone involved in my athletics journey."
The former Tassie Devils footballer has otherwise kept an eye on all the happenings at home.
"It's great to see how much football is growing in Tassie and the AFL team and stuff, that will be incredible," she said.
"It's awesome to see how much it's grown. Also for women, how many girls are getting involved."
In recent months, Brazendale started working with What Ability which is an NDIS-registered disability support service utilising professional and semi-professional athletes as support workers.
It's a job she finds satisfying.
She's otherwise enjoying the beaches and sunshine that comes with Sydney life.
Brazendale said she would be back in Launceston over Christmas to spend time with her family and friends before returning to footy training.