But so the former champion breaststroker has, being a consistent presence at the back for Olympians this season.

Coombes admitted she was surprised when she was asked would she be interested in playing first grade; other than the odd game she had never played first grade before.

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In her younger years growing up near Port Macquarie, while she did play a bit of representative hockey, swimming was her main priority. Hockey "was the thing you did when the pool was too cold".

Later she played third grade "because it suited what we were doing".

But she was happy to help out and couldn't go past the opportunity to play with Olivia - while she's still happy for her to, she added jokingly.

It was why she came back after having a hiatus from the sport for a few years.

"I wanted to play with her," Coombes said.

Playing together in third grade two years ago, she said was pretty special.

"It's really nice," she added.

"On the weekend we played second grade together and first grade together."

They shared a win in both grades too, with second grade getting up 3-nil and first grade 4-2 over Services for their third win of the season.

"It was a good win," Coombes said.

"The young girls played so well."

Bridget Tydd especially "had a blinder" up front scoring a hat-trick.

A guiding hand at the back, along with Kate Gunn, for what is a young side, Coombes concedes she does feel a bit out of her depth but she has been enjoying it.

"It's lots of fun and the girls are really lovely," she said.

At the age many of them are, she was in the midst of a successful swimming career.

Then Everingham, in her teenage years Coombes was one of the top swimmers in the country.

In 1991, as a 14-year old, she won silver and bronze at the national championships and was selected to swim for Australia at the Pan Pacific Championships in Canada.

She was also part of the AIS swimming program alongside the likes of Linley Frame, Nicole Livingstone and Matt Dunn.

She also held several national and state, long and short course breaststroke records, one of which was only broken last year, having stood since 1991.

Moving to Tamworth in the mid-90s with her now husband Richard, she joined Kensells, playing third grade for them for a number of years and later South United.

In the other first grade results Flames doused Souths 5-nil and Waratahs shut out Tudor Wests 6-0.

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