Amy Barraclough's life may have been vastly different had the lure of Uralla not been so strong.
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In the mid-2000s, the Greater Northern Tigers captain was living in Brisbane doing a sports development course at TAFE. She spent two years in the Queensland capital.
"I like Brisbane, but it was a bit far away. My family's in Uralla, so ..."
And so Barraclough returned to the warm embrace of her family and her birthplace, where she has remained.
The 36-year-old has seen Uralla grow as a tourist destination, with people drawn to a picturesque main street dotted with excellent dining and shopping options.
"We're just lucky that we're on the highway, otherwise it could be a little ghost town," she said.
"It would be scary to think what Uralla would be like if there was a bypass," she added. "Because you can drive through Uralla on the weekend and there's cars everywhere down town."
On Saturday afternoon at Werris Creek, Barraclough will line up for the Bears against the Magpies.
The playmaker re-signed with the club after Uralla's league tag side folded following the 2019 season. Seven years ago, she began a relationship with her then Uralla teammate Vicki Youman.
They are still together.
"To keep it short and sweet, she's not only my partner but she's also my best friend. I think it's pretty lucky," Barraclough replied when asked what Youman brought to her life.
Youman has to work and will miss the Magpies clash, as Norths continue their pursuit of the minor premiership. With three rounds remaining before the finals, they are two points behind first-placed Gunnedah.
Because she works in office administration in Armidale, Barraclough does not train with the Bears - the competition's equal leading points scorer only hooks up with her teammates on game days.
"It works OK, but it probably doesn't do my fitness any good," she said of the arrangement.
Barraclough marvels at the rise of women's sport, but can't help wonder what might have been had she been born later.
"I always say I've gotta keep going while I can." she said of playing footy. "All this tackle and all this women's sport, it's all happened a bit late for me."
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