Sam Virgo cannot wait to repay the Brisbane Lions for the faith they have shown in her, after she re-signed with the Club for the 2019 AFLW season.

The unrelenting defender trained with her Lions teammates for the first time in eight months on Wednesday night, ahead of June’s Winter Series.  

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to repay the Club and make an impact on the field,” she told lions.com.au.  

“I’m really looking forward to getting back amongst the team.”

Virgo had an outstanding first AFLW season in 2017, earning All Australian honours, finishing fourth in the Lions' Best and Fairest medal and taking home the ‘All for One’ award as the player who best demonstrates the Lions' values.

“I’m pumped to get back out there, the Lions have been very supportive of me in my first year but especially my second year with my injury,” she said. 

Virgo ruptured her ACL in the dying minutes of the 2017 QWAFL Grand Final, which ruled her out for the entire 2018 AFLW season.

However, she was never from the action and played an important role off-field as the Lions’ team manager.

“I’m really grateful for that opportunity to better myself and develop some new skills,” Virgo said.

“I was thrilled to be around the team and I didn’t feel like I missed anything.”

Now with the end of her rehabilitation in sight, Virgo is anxious to unleash her competitive spirit again, after nearly a year on the boundary line.

“I missed competing, that’s why I play footy to compete and win those one-on-one battles and lead by example on the field.”