Winning a grand final doesn't come easy.
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Even the best athletes around may never get the opportunity to play in the big dance, let alone lift the trophy.
That's what makes Erin Naden's story that much more special.
The former Canobolas Rural Technology High School student suited up for Bathurst St Pat's on Saturday in the Group 10 league tag decider against Orange CYMS. Despite having fallen to the green and golds in the qualifying final two weeks prior, St Pat's made light work of their opposition to the tune of 34-10.
"We had a pretty strong team and having the loss was actually pretty good for us. It was a good time to have it," Naden said.
"Losing to them was good because we knew what we had to do. We had a fair few of our players back as well which helped us out a bit."
But while Naden came out of the Saturday match a winner, she nearly didn't take to the field at all.
The multi-sport athlete also spent the year travelling to play for the East Coast Eagles in the Sydney AFL women's premier division. That's why Naden missed the qualifying final, because she also had an Eagles finals game scheduled that same day.
So when both of her teams made the grand final - which was to be played on the same weekend - she assumed both games would be played on the Sunday and she would have to choose between which match to play.
"All season I thought that the finals for our AFL would have been Saturday and league tag would be on Sunday. Then coming to the end of the season, I thought they would have been on the same day. I did think I'd have to choose between both of them," she said.
"I was on the phone to a few of the league tag girls in the week leading up to the grand final, trying to figure out what day we'd be playing and when they told me Saturday, I was pretty excited that I could play both.
So with one grand final down and one more to play, Naden had a quiet celebration on Saturday night before heading down to Sydney on Sunday morning.
"I was feeling pretty pumped for the AFL game, so all the tiredness went away when I stepped out there," she said.
Naden would kick one of the Eagles' six goals and was one of six East Coast players to pick up best on ground points during her sides 6.5 (41) to 2.11 (23) victory over the Manly Warringah Wolves.
"This is my first grand final with an AFL side and once we won I was a bit overwhelmed with it all," Naden added.
"Both victories had similar feelings and I could have celebrated either nights with both teams, but I decided to come back here on Sunday night to celebrate with St Pat's."