The decision to swap the netball court for the footy field has been a fruitful one for Molly Kennedy.
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The Warialda native has collected a slew of representative accolades and silverware, since opting to pursue the footy path rather than continue on with netball.
The most recent addition is a Thomson Cup medal after helping Central West reclaim their status as the Queens of Country rugby in Tamworth on the weekend.
It was the front-rower's second NSW Country Championship campaign with the Blue Bullettes, after playing in the victorious 2021 squad.
Since then she's had a bit of a bad run of injuries, which have kept her from being able to be part of the side.
"To be back here playing with these girls, it's phenomenal," Kennedy said in the immediate aftermath of their 28-10 win over Hunter.
Especially after rupturing the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) in her wrist playing league last year.
Just falling awkwardly in a tackle, she initially kept playing with it.
"I just strapped it up and off I went," Kennedy said.
But, after playing the Central West grand final with her Bathurst Bulldogs side, she had surgery on it.
Making her return to the field in February, her first game back was actually for the Northern Tigers in the Women's Country Championships, after being roped in to have a run with them by long-time Tigers servant Peter Stevens.
Kennedy grew up just up the road from him.
League was a prevalent influence through her childhood; her two older brothers, Jake and Ben, were both "pretty good" and she recalled from a young age "always wanting to play".
Through high school she played league tag with the Wombats, and a bit of tackle league in her latter years.
But, it was rugby where she really excelled.
Taking it up in Year 8, it wasn't too long before representative opportunities beckoned.
By Year 10 Kennedy was part of the [junior] Waratahs 7s squad and making the Australian Indigenous squad.
The following year she was packing down for the Country Eagles in the inaugural Chikarovski Cup.
In amongst all of that she was also winning state titles with her Warialda school team.
Kennedy's team-mates from those days include former Australian 7s rep and now Cronulla Shark, Rhiannon Byers, and Queensland and Wallaroo prop Tiarna Molloy. She also played a bit with former Rebel, Ashleigh Walker, who was incidentally part of the Hunter coaching staff on the weekend.
It was a pretty special group and expertly coached by Dale Beattie.
The man responsible for really putting women's rugby on the map in the region, the now 24-year-old said he is still someone she looks up to.
If she feels like she needs help with her game she'll "just message him and say 'what do I need to work on'?".
"He's always there, same with Matt," Kennedy said.
Matt is her Bulldogs coach, Matt Waterford, who has "had a massive impact" on her football.
After initially playing with CSU when she first moved down to Bathurst to study a bachelor of social work, craving a new challenge Kennedy linked up with the Bulldogs ahead of the 2021 season.
Until this season she had been doubling up of a weekend, also playing league, and did harbour ambitions of playing NRLW.
"I had a couple of trials with South Sydney and the Sharks," she said.
"But I've stepped back from that.
"I want to focus a bit more on rugby this year."
"And then hopefully retire at the end of the year, because my body can't handle it."
