Few things were ever as sure as the fact that Montanna Allan would end up building a long and distinguished career with the Werris Creek Magpies.
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And though she is only 26 years old, she is already well on her way.
Born in Quirindi, Allan described herself as "definitely a Magpies girl". Given her family ties to the club, she joked that she had little choice in the matter when she signed up for her debut league tag season at 15.
Allan's father, uncles, and siblings have all played for the club. One of her uncles - Jason Smith - is the reserve grade coach this year.
Meanwhile Jason's wife, Anna, is the newly-appointed coach of Werris Creek's league tag team and captained the side during Allan's early years in the sport. Since last year, Allan has held that mantle (alongside Dayna Porter) and was honoured to have taken over from Anna.
"[Being named co-captain is] a really big achievement," Allan said.
"Anna's been such a great role model and is someone that I've always played with and respected. It's great to see her move through the ranks and take on the coaching role."
After a mercurial 2023 campaign, the Magpies have put together a new-look side this year.
With three wins from their first three games, the Werris Creek women look to have found a combination that worked under Smith, Allan, and Porter.
And, in their biggest test yet against the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters on Saturday, the Magpies proved without question that they are capable of making a splash in this year's competition with an 18-18 draw.
"We were prepared for a tough game, because Kooty's got a very good side," Smith said.
"They're probably the favourites at the moment, and I was hoping we'd give it to them. I'm proud of the girls, I think they did a pretty good job."
To draw with last year's premiership runners-up gave Werris Creek enormous confidence, but importantly, it also showed them where they need to improve against those top sides.
Smith made specific mention of Allan and Rachel James, the Magpies' ballplayers who "don't get mentioned very much, and they should".
"They're leading those younger girls around the park really well. They're mentors and doing a great job at it," she said.
"Chrystal Porter's kicking game on Saturday was amazing ... she'd kick off and did a really good job of kicking the ball out and getting us into an attacking position again."
When Allan was made captain prior to last season, she was freshly returned from a year off in which she and her partner welcomed their first child, Kiani.
It was a tall order to return to the field just six months after giving birth. "It was definitely hard", Allan said, but fortune worked in her favour.
"A few of us girls had babies around the same time," she said.
"So it's really good to go and play with your mates who also have their babies sitting on the sideline or at training. It all comes back to community."
Though she is just 18 months old, Kiani is "definitely" a future Magpie. And, her mother hopes, she will go further than Group 4.
"Hopefully NRLW," she said with a chuckle.
