Queanbeyan Tigers star Hannah Dunn's burning desire to avenge grand final heartbreak looms as the next step on her path to an AFLW recall.
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The 28-year-old is determined to make amends when the Tigers meet the Belconnen Magpies in the AFL Canberra grand final at Manuka Oval on Saturday.
Queanbeyan dropped last year's decider and a straight sets exit after topping the SANFLW ladder with Norwood this season is adding fuel to the fire for Dunn.
The decider looms as her final chance to make a statement as she prepares to declare for the AFLW draft on October 22 in a bid to add to her lone appearance for the GWS Giants.
"I just hope I've done enough to get noticed, I'll sit tight until then and see what happens," Dunn said.
"If it does happen then pre-season would start pretty soon after that so I wouldn't have much time for a break."
But that has almost become par for the course in Dunn's case.
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Dunn played for Norwood in the South Australian league this year and finished third in the competition's best and fairest voting.
But the Redlegs bowed out of the finals with consecutive defeats and Dunn is determined to avoid a repeat dose.
"It's been a long year for me but to win would be great," Dunn said.
"I've seen how hard they've worked this season and we need reward for effort, there is no way we have come this far not to win it.
"Losing the grand final in Canberra last year and then not winning with Norwood after going out of the finals in straight sets, it would be nice to finish on a high.
"Each time you go into a grand final it's a totally different experience, though for me the nerves are still there and will be up until I play."
Belconnen are the only side to have beaten the Tigers during an incredibly dominant campaign, through which they have scored 1416 points and conceded 182.
Their sheer dominance throughout the bulk of the season mean Queanbeyan enter as favourites - and that sits fine with Belconnen captain Amber Allen.
"Over the past four years we have ended up top of the ladder and always gone out in straight sets. Coming in as the underdogs has been pretty exciting for us," Allen said.
"I'm so excited, over the whole time we've had, we've never won a first grade premiership so to be here in unreal.
"We've put in so much hard work, we have had so many girls come back from injuries. We've got a couple of girls who have never won a flag and never even been in a grand final."
AFL CANBERRA GRAND FINALS
Saturday at Manuka Oval:
- Rising Stars: Tuggeranong v Marist at 9.30am
- Second grade: Eastlake v Belconnen at 11.45am
- Men's: Ainslie v Belconnen at 2.15pm
- Women's: Queanbeyan v Belconnen at 5.30pm
