Her team might have copped an absolute drubbing but Melbourne mum Rhiannon Crompton could not wipe the smile off her face.
Just seven weeks after giving birth via a cesarean section, the 25-year-old ran out for the Boronia Hawk’s women’s reserves at the weekend and was promptly declared best-on-ground.
“I started off in the forward line in the first quarter but the ball just didn’t come my way, so I asked the coach if I could play in the back line and get in on the action,” Ms Crompton said.
The footy-mad mum told ABC Radio Melbourne's Breakfast program that while she had been sidelined due to pregnancy, she had still served as a runner for the senior women’s squad up to four days before she gave birth at 38 weeks.
She gave birth to Jai Rapisarda on June 22, who is a little brother to four-year-old Lillie.
Raring to play
Ms Crompton ran out for the team on Saturday, confessing she felt ready much sooner but coaching staff had urged her to watch a little longer from the sidelines.
Despite going down to rivals Vermont in a 155-point thumping, the mother-of-two said it was just great to have a footy back in her hands.
“A lot of people said I probably shouldn’t have been doing it,” Ms Crompton said.
“I guess I wanted to prove them wrong.”
Ms Crompton said she had also returned to netball competition on Wednesday nights.