Kristy Whitehead knows what it takes to play football at the VFLW level, but she now has a new challenge awaiting her on the Ovens and Murray League netball courts.
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The former Murray Bushrangers' captain has spent the last two years with Port Melbourne, becoming a premiership player at the club last season.
After relocating to the Border last month, the 20-year-old, who originally hails from Corryong, is embracing Bulldogs' colours as she takes a step back from the footy field.
"(Port Melbourne) is an incredible club with incredible people, but I was looking for a tree change," she said.
"I had a couple of friends at Doggies before I moved down and I'd only heard good things about the club, so that was a really big draw card."
Having grown up playing netball for Corryong in the Upper Murray League, Whitehead was set to represent Melbourne University in the Victorian Netball League before a devastating knee injury on the eve of the season derailed both her netball and football plans in 2022.
"I tore my ACL during season one (football), so I didn't get to play," she said.
"It was a pretty tough year or so, and being in Melbourne with no family, I just had to put my head down and grind my way through it.
"It was not a fast process at all, it was pretty rough.
"I think it took me 16 months, but I'm reaping the rewards of it now and having taken that extra bit to make it back, my body feels really good now."
Whitehead lines up in the back-line on the football field, but thought she'd use her opportunity on the netball court to try something new.
"I put down goal attack because I really wanted to play there, but I lasted two quarters in trials and haven't seen that bib again," she laughed.
"I've since been playing centre.
"I just wanted the glory of goal attack, but that didn't last long."
While her love of footy will always be strong, Whitehead is content with playing netball this season.
"The goal is probably to go back to footy eventually," she said.
"Last year, the load was just so high when you're training three times a week and then playing.
"When the season was finished, I was lucky enough to train with Richmond's AFLW team, which was really cool, but it also meant that I didn't give my body a break.
"It was really craving a break and mental reset, and I think netball was a very big draw card to be that change."
Wodonga takes on Yarrawonga in round one of the Ovens and Murray League season later this month.
