The 24-year-old hasn’t played since mid-2015 due to the condition.

“I played a little bit of social netball on a Monday night last year with friends, and that ignited the fire a little bit again,” she said.

“And it’s been so nice to get up to the trials, just so good to be around the girls.

“I’ve missed that social side of it as well as the competitve side.”

One of the O&M’s best players, Yensch was floored by the disorder.

“I was totally exhausted when I first knew that something was wrong,” she said.

“At the same time I was working as a teacher’s aide, so I was working from nine in the morning to 12, and I’d come home from work and go straight to bed, no lunch, and sleep until 5.30 when I’d go to netball training, and netball was just an absolute drag, I just had nothing left in the tank.”

Yensch started her teaching career last year, opting not to play netball in case of overload.

“I think the worst of it is over yeah, I’ve learnt to manage it now, so if I can feel in myself, feel a little run down, I’ve learnt to back it off,” she said.

Yensch’s return reunites Lavington’s ‘big three’.

Representative players Sarah Meredith and Rhiannon Dolahenty are also around that 183cm mark.

“We’re really excited to have Kate back,” Panthers’ netball president Tamara Mathews said.

“Kate’s such a strong player and so experienced, and it’s great to have the three tall defenders who played in the 2013 premiership.”

And Yensch’s commitment could never be questioned either as her and her partner will make the 675km round trip every week from Canberra.

“My partner suggested it, we could come back on weekends, as his family’s from Albury as well,” she said.

“So it’s a bit of an incentive as well to get back and catch up with family and friends.”

Yensch’s return could prove the difference as the Panthers chase another premiership.

Without her, the club suffered a double overtime loss to Albury in the 2015 finals, and then fell by only two goals in last year’s decider against Yarrawonga.

“I feel like I did need the break,” Yensch said.

“I feel re-energised and rejuvenated now, hopefully I come back not too different a player.

“I’d like to be playing at the standard I was before I got sick.”

Lavington will start its season with an away game against Wangaratta, which snapped a finals drought.