When Gunnedah made the Central North women's grand final in their maiden season they were seen as somewhat surprise grand finalists.
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After losing their first 12 games of the season, not too many people considered them premiership contenders.
They would ultimately go on to be beaten by Inverell, but came back the next season to win the silverware.
Now, as they prepare to contest their first grand final since that memorable day in 2019, captain Abby Nortrup says that from early in the season there was a sense that they had the potential to do something special this year.
"We actually said this very early on, that this year just felt different," she said.
A lot if it, she believes, has to do with the mix of players they've got.
"We have some very strong runners, we have some very good tacklers, we have some super quick girls," she said.
"I don't think we've had that amalgamation of a team ever."
Still it wasn't really until their win over Pirates in the first round that she said they probably started to truly believe.
"[Coach Matt Hannay] Hannay came up to us and he's like I've been believing it, but do you girls believe it, you should believe it now. You have the potential, you can do this," Nortrup said.
They had a bit of a late stumble, losing their last two round games, but shook off that on Saturday to turn the tables on Narrabri in a thrilling qualifying final at Ken Chillingworth Oval and earn the first spot in the 2023 decider.
It was a see-sawing, edge-of-your seats ride right up to the final whistle with half-back Emmy Barr's kick out, which would have ended the game, as if for dramatic effect seeming to toy with the line.
But it snuck over, seeing the Red Devils prevail 15-10.
As the players embraced, there was plenty of emotion, and even a few tears.
No doubt there will be a few more if they can get the job done in a couple of weeks.
"We've come together as a team and got here and it's amazing," Nortrup said.
She touched on their discipline as probably being the difference in what was a "tough emotional game".
"At the end of the day we just had a bit better discipline and we were able to hold it together just emotionally on the field," she said.
Twice hitting the front only for the Blue Boars to square the game up, she never lost faith.
In fact she recalled at a couple of points during the game "looking up and seeing stuff happening on the field" and thinking "we have this, we just have to hold it together".
