12 months on from a heartbreaking ACL injury, Lily Postlethwaite is back on the footy field.

After working her way back from the season-ending injury in February last year, Postlethwaite pulled on the boots in her first competitive football game in 12 months on Saturday.

Running out for the Maroochydore Roos (QWAFL), Postlethwaite picked up where she left off with the young star looking right at home on the footy field.

“It was just awesome,” Postlethwaite said.

“You don’t really realise how much you miss it until it’s been taken away from you.

“It was just so good to be back out on the field and playing footy.”

With her parents, partner Tahj, and fellow Lions Kate Lutkins, Maggie Harmer and Luka Yoshida-Martin cheering her on from the sidelines, it was a special moment for Postlethwaite after a long road back to recovery.

“I think Mum was more nervous than I was!”

“I think it was just nice to have [my family] there and get to make them proud. They’ve seen the whole journey so it was a big moment for them too.”

“The support from the Lions has been awesome too.”

“The girls have been with me every step of the way and they sent me heaps of nice messages before the game, like even Lutsy [Kate Lutkins] making the trip to come see me play meant a lot to me.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get back here without the support of the Club and people like Bree [Brock, Head of Women’s Football], Craig [Starcevich, AFLW Head Coach] and Greeny [Matthew Green, AFLW High Performance Manager], and our whole medical team. They’ve been amazing in getting me back to playing footy again.”

Placed on the inactive list for the 2022 AFLW season following the significant injury, Postlethwaite says she’s already eyeing up her return to the elite level next season after Saturday’s QWAFL match.

“I was a little bit nervous, but I was also just ready to go. I’ve been training for so long now that getting to play on Saturday was a reward for all the work I’ve put in.”

“It just makes me more excited than ever before to get back into AFLW next season and playing with the Lions.”