From graduating uni to adventures abroad, and celebrating an historic premiership, 2023 has been a memorable year for Chelsea Hancock.
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In September the 22-year-old helped Narrabri win their maiden Central North women's premiership.
She was then, not that long back from a two month trip around Europe.
It was her second experience travelling over there after embarking on a gap year before she started uni.
"I just really wanted to do it again before it was too late and it was too hard to get time off work and all that stuff," Hancock said.
Travelling with a couple of mates from uni, she had a fantastic time.
"We did so many great things," she said.
One of the highlights was attending the second day of the Lord's Ashes test.
"That was amazing," Hancock said.
"I've never seen anything like that before so it was great to go and see that."
"We also went to a rugby game in Ireland.... watched Ireland and England play, which was great.
"The Irish atmosphere is unreal.
"So that was awesome."
"And we sailed around Croatia which was just amazing.
"We'd wake up every morning on a different island and go for a swim and eat, it was unreal."
She returned in time to finish off the season with the Blue Boars.
Unfortunately she missed the final magical moments of the grand final as she was up in emergency at the hospital after dislocating her shoulder midway through the game.
"Just in a tackle I think I just hyper-extended my arm a little bit and it just popped out," she recalled.
She missed pretty much the whole second half and the aftermath, although her mum was keeping her abreast of what was happening.
"Unfortunately I missed it all, but that's okay," Hancock said.
Importantly she was able to get back to join in the celebrations on the way home, and the shoulder is going well.
Almost two months on now, she said it still feels just as special.
"And I think it always will be," she said.
The third straight premiership win she's been involved in after winning with St Albert's in in 2021 and 2022, there was a bit of extra personal significance to this one; being part of the inaugural side and also seeing what her dad, Dean, started, come to fruition.
He coached them their first couple of years in the competition.
Still having the odd run for second grade, he was a big inspiration for her wanting to lace up the boots.
Growing up watching him, and later her brother Campbell, play, she was "pretty keen to give it a crack" when the opportunity came up.
It was in those early days very much a family affair with her mum managing the side, her brother carrying the water, and older sister Georgia also playing.
Six years on, she said it's great to see how far the women's program has come.
"I know when dad first started there was a lot of 'I don't know about women playing, I'm not sure about this, I don't think there'll be much interest in it'," she said.
"But it's great to see how far we've come as a club to develop those players but also how much the club enjoys watching us."
