Ashlyn refuses to be defined by the circumstances of her upbringing

"I feel like life is not that serious - just chill out a bit," she said.

Summers was speaking after playing for the Kangaroos in a loss to North Tamworth at Jubilee Oval in Boggabri, where she lives with her parents, Kim and Craig, and her most treasured possession, a five-year-old border collie called Jim.

She said she owed her parents everything, given their unwavering support of her and the "good morals" and "important life skills" they had instilled in her. In short, they had shaped her into the woman she was today, Summers said.

And that person presents as mature and articulate - someone who for the past five years has worked as a nursing assistant at Boggabri hospital, predominantly caring for the elderly; and who's in the third year of her diagnostic radiography degree at Charles Sturt University, Port Macquarie.

The day before her interview with the Leader, Summers had returned from a six-week placement at the Thrive Medical Centre in Broken Hill. The centre has offered her a one-year scholarship next year while she completes the final year of her degree.

After completing the scholarship, she said she would probably work at Narrabri hospital.

"I just wanted a hands-on job, something that made a difference, and diagnostic radiography does that," she said.

It also resulted in Summers confronting the challenge of expanding her horizons beyond the confines of her upbringing.

"I think living so rurally, it's hard to put yourself out there," she said. "Like, I feel like a lot of people don't realise the potential of what the world has to offer, when they've just lived here their whole life.

"I feel like getting out and going to uni has been a challenge, but I've really enjoyed doing that."

Also sharing Summers life is her partner of three years, fellow Roo Nic Hobden, who will probably miss the entire season through injury - something Summers is acutely familiar with.

She missed the whole of last season after suffering a horror knee injury playing for Boggabri. She completely tore her lateral collateral ligament, and also required a patellofemoral realignment.

Reinjurying her knee is her greatest fear.

"Sitting on the sidelines wasn't much fun, but I got there," said the graduate of St Mary's College, Gunnedah, who described herself as fun, enthusiastic and motivated and who would love to be a mind reader.

"I just would like to know what people are thinking," she said, when asked what her super power would be.

After such a thoughtful response to this interview, we now have a good understanding of Summers' thought process.

Kim and Craig must be proud parents.