SHE was a driving force behind the formation of the Bathurst Giants women's team, so it could not have been more fitting for Katie Kennedy to be the first captain in charcoal and orange to hoist the Central West AFL premiership cup.
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Kennedy's move last year to step away from the Bathurst Lady Bushrangers - an outfit she'd won a premiership medal with in 2017 - to try and form a Giants outfit was a bold one.
But in their maiden campaign she helped guide them to a grand final, then this season Kennedy's team enjoyed the sort of run she had never dreamed of when first pulling on a Giants singlet.
They were minor premiers then as they fought off a gritty Lady Bushrangers outfit at George Park 2 in Saturday's grand final to win 7-8-50 to 4-1-25, the Giants iced an undefeated season.
"There's honestly no words to describe this feeling. I've never had a win as captain, I couldn't have done it without this amazing group of girls," she said.
"We've worked so bloody hard for this and to finally get it after last year, it feels amazing.
"I'll be honest, it's my second time in an undefeated season, I also did it with the Bushies, but I don't know to do this as captain, it feels different this time. It's just amazing."
The win came after the Dubbo Demons claimed the title in 2018 before failing to form a team for this year's campaign.
While Kennedy led by example in the grand final - a match in which she also notched up her 50th appearance in the Central West AFL women's league - that she ran out onto the field at all was an indication of her passion for the Giants.
She had been sick in the build up and on Tuesday was diagnosed with a chest infection.
But after winning the toss and electing to run with the wind in the opening quarter, she didn't look back.
"No a chest infection was not ideal, but nothing could have stopped me, I could have broken my leg and I still would have figured a way to get out there on the field today. Nothing would have held me back," she said.
"We got the wind in the first quarter and you know, I was starting to think at half-time that after winning the toss, maybe I should have gone against the wind first to have it on the way home.
"But it worked out."