This time last year, Kobie Ferguson felt "very broken".
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The luckless 24-year-old, who has had more than her fair share of injury setbacks, was working through the rehabilitation process after a third knee reconstruction.
The former Young Matilda and Newcastle Jets player was not planning to play this year.
But, on Sunday night, after helping Broadmeadow secure the premiership-championship double and being named player of the grand final, the Magic midfielder was glad she did.
"Coming into this season, I wasn't going to play," Ferguson said.
"I've done three ACLs and I don't think through any one of them I haven't thought about playing. I wasn't going to play and I don't know what made me come back, but I just thought, 'Why not. I've got nothing to lose and just try to enjoy it'."
Enjoy it she did, and the 2-1 grand final win over Newcastle Olympic at Magic Park on Sunday night topped it off.
"I love these girls so much," Ferguson said.
"They make it so much fun, and Jake [Curley] is probably one of the best coaches I've ever had, so in terms of that, it's disappointing that he's moving on. I'll definitely miss him, but it was just a great season with all of the girls and Jake.
"It's been a long process, and to actually stay injury free this year was really nice. We've all worked so hard, so after four years I'm so proud of the girls. It's a nice finish."
Curley is stepping across to the men's program and a number of players are hanging up the boots or moving on, but Ferguson said "at this stage" she planned to play on.
Being named player of the grand final, which was a battle and only decided by two sublime Magic finishes, came as "a shock".
"I thought [goalkeeper] Alison [Logue] was fantastic for us," Ferguson said.
"She always is in big moments. She probably would've been mine. But everyone worked so hard. It was definitely a surprise for me."
Feguson's last grand final win was with the Emerging Jets in Northern NSW Football's women's premier league in 2016.
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