Olivia Higgins has literally been racing the clock.
The homegrown Knights recruit underwent surgery on a broken leg nine weeks ago, but has managed to recover in time for Sunday's season opener in Newcastle.
Higgins was originally told she wouldn't make it back on the park until round three at the earliest, but the 29-year-old hooker remained determined to reach the NRLW start line.
"If Ron [coach] had of said to me 'I want to give you another week' or 'come off the bench', I would have been completely OK with that. But I'm stoked he's got faith in me to wear the number nine," Higgins told the Newcastle Herald.
"I've been fully training now for a couple of weeks and if anything it's been a bit of a mental thing. I kept thinking how cool it would be to run out after the [NRL] boys in my home town, but I had to get that out of my head and get myself physically ready first."
Higgins, a casual teacher at Newcastle High School, describes 2022 so far as a "whirlwind".
She made her NRLW debut with the Sydney Roosters six months ago in what was a COVID-delayed campaign.
The Roosters snuck into the finals before Higgins capped off a memorable maiden run with premiership success alongside fellow Knights signings Hannah Southwell, Yasmin Clydsdale, Tayla Predebon and Simone Karpani.
She admits carrying a syndesmosis injury into the April decider, but knew there was plenty of time before this year's second season rolled around.
Having undergone eight weeks of rehabilitation, Higgins returned with the Knights via the NSW Women's Premiership but went down during that same game.
"It was just a really awkward tackle I got caught up in," she said.
"Regardless of the prior injury I would have done it anyway, just because of the way I fell. I knew straight away. It felt like I had a floppy leg, I had a huge lump on my fibula, it was completely unstable and I couldn't put any weight on it. To be honest, I've played sport all my life and never really had an injury before now."
Ironically, Higgins' first appearance in the national women's competition was in Newcastle and also against upcoming opponents Brisbane.
"Being at home [this weekend] I feel like it will feel even more special. I always felt like a bit of a bad human for wearing a Roosters jersey in Newcastle. I remember thinking there's something not quite right about this. Watching the Knights girls afterwards I said 'I'd love to play for Newcastle'," she said.
Higgins, who rose through the ranks via South Newcastle ladies league tag and Central Coast Roosters tackle, officially signed with the Knights in June and says "we've got a real good shot at this [NRLW title]".
A Raymond Terrace product from a rugby league loving family, she's sure to have a fair support crew in the stands at McDonald Jones Stadium.
