Four years ago Anita Collins had to watch on from the dugout as Waratahs defeated Flames to defend their maiden Tamworth women's first grade premiership.
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On Sunday, she not only led them to back-to-back titles for the second time but played a starring role with the Waratahs skipper, much to her surprise, adjudged the player of the grand final.
It's the first time the award has been presented, and Collins was "blown away" to win it.
"I didn't see that coming, you could have picked a handful of players," she said.
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It was the icing on the cake after Wararahs had, as they did back in 2016, upset Flames 5-4 to again be crowned champions.
"It's absolutely amazing to even win one (title), but to win two it's absolutely fantastic," Collins said.
Making it all the more special was that she got to share it with twin sister Madie (Cryer).
It's the first title the two can remember winning together.
Both were playing with Waratahs in 2016, but Collins missed the latter part of the season and the grand final after rupturing her ACL. Then last year Madie played mostly second grade.
Underdogs going into Sunday with Flames unbeaten and finishing minor premiers, Collins said it was "absolutely amazing" to get the win and spoke of how they really worked as a team and stuck to their game plan.
For the most part anyway. They did "take a step back" and stop pushing forward when they went up 4-2 early in the third quarter, but were able to switch back on after Flames levelled at 4-all.
In what was a similar script to last year, they really had to dig deep in the closing stages as they clung to a one goal lead. Flames were coming home strongly and had most of the play in the last five minutes but Waratahs just kept foiling their raids.
"We were lucky to hold on in those final moments, that comes down to desire," coach Matt Wilson said.
He took over the coaching duties last year, and as great as their success was, this year's triumph was - for a few reasons - that little bit more special in his mind.
"Going back-to-back is fantastic but the way we did it - the way we played our hockey.
"Flames had a stronger side this year and we were able to counter-act that," he said.
Then there was the way that the younger players really stepped up this year, and the influence they had.
Bianca Mulligan was a prime example.
"She set up two goals today," Wilson said.
"Instead of just throwing the ball away she held onto it. She made those couple of critical passes which led to goals."
Young goalkeeper Imogen Hislop was another. She was a bit daunted in the first quarter, but in the last three quarters owned that space, he said.
The performance of the "young ones" was something stalwart Nicole Reidsmith also remarked on.
"I'm really proud of the young ones," she said.
"To go against the experience of Flames, and to step up and not be intimidated by that.. "
She is one of two players to have been a part of all four premierships. Katrina Rekunow is the other.
If not for Nadine Doolan's persistence though she mightn't have got to experience the jubilation of success again.
"I wasn't coming back (this season)," Reidsmith said.
But Doolan eventually convinced her to play again.
She's glad she did.
"It's a bit surreal," she said of going back-to-back again.
For Flames it was an all too familiar tale - too many turnovers and not taking their chances.
