Kate Lutkins opens up on long road back to Brisbane Lions after almost two years out
Triple All-Australian Kate Lutkins is back for Brisbane almost two years since she last pulled on the boots. The new mum opens up on her long road back to the Lions.
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Remember Kate Lutkins?
The three-time AFLW All-Australian, 2018 Brisbane Lions best and fairest winner and 2021 premiership player?
Well, she’s back.
After 644 days on the sidelines, the 36 year old will take her place in the Brisbane backline on Sunday when the Lions host North Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena.
The marquee match-up of the season-opening round pits last year’s grand finalists – and this year’s premiership favourites – against each other in a mouth-watering first-up meeting.
Topping the list of compelling storylines is the return of Lutkins, who last pulled on the boots almost two years ago in a losing grand final against Melbourne.
She watched her teammates avenge that defeat in December last year, upsetting the Kangaroos by 17 points to fly their second AFLW premiership flag.
Lutkins was in the stands that day, with her wife and eight-week-old daughter, Riley.
She sat out the entirety of the 2023 season while pregnant – a decision years in the making.
Now on the eve of her AFLW return, Lutkins is tackling the 2024 season with a new lease on her football life.
“It’s been quite a journey,” she told this masthead.
“A real game – a proper AFLW game. Whether it’s round one or a grand final, I don’t take any of them for granted now because you don’t know when your last one will be.
“I won’t let myself get too carried away in the emotions. I just feel privileged I get to be out there and play with the girls.”
Lutkins is not the first player to return following a pregnancy. But her story, with all its ups and downs, is well worth telling.
A serving member of the Australian Defence Force, for years she juggled her career in the ADF with the ever-expanding AFLW.
An inaugural Brisbane Lion, Lutkins lived and thrived through the club’s transient early years, earning All-Australian honours and playing in grand finals despite not having a home ground to call its own.
She will play her first official AFLW game at the club’s Brighton Homes Arena venue on Sunday. Another memorable moment.
Best On Ground, Kate Lutkins 🥇#AFLWGFpic.twitter.com/7B4sOOKLlA
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) April 17, 2021
Lutkins labels her 2022 ACL rehabilitation “probably one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life”.
“There were quite a few darks days on that journey,” she recalls.
“On January 9th (2022) I did my ACL and on the 10th it was confirmed I got Covid. It put a lot of things into perspective.
“We had to make a decision whether I would rehab the ACL and come back, or try to have a baby and rehab the ACL – but obviously you can’t do both at the same time and come back within 12 months.”
Had she not simultaneously contracted Covid, perhaps the decision to prioritise a return to football would have been different.
“We were about to attempt IUI (intra-uterine insemination) in the following weeks but Covid put off that cycle.”
With back-to-back AFLW seasons in 2022, Lutkins pushed her ACL recovery to be back in time for the Lions’ second campaign that year. She returned in round 6 and went on to play her 50th AFLW game in the losing grand final against Melbourne.
“During the rehab I was like well, we’re 33, we don’t know when we’re going to try and have a kid now so let’s do a round of IVF, get some embryos frozen and put ourselves in a good position for later in life when we do decide to try.”
Lutkins played in the grand final on November 27 and was pregnant the following January.
In October, she and her wife – also Kate – welcomed Riley into the world.
Eight weeks later, she was watching her teammates win a premiership – and hungry to help them achieve the next one.
“Over the journey I’ve taken a few moments to reflect,” Lutkins said.
“We trained at the Gabba 4-6 weeks ago now and I was out there thinking, ‘this could be the last time I’m ever on the Gabba’. You never know when the last time is. I really took it in that day.
“Now that we have a home at Springfield, we might not play on the Gabba again. So I was just appreciating the journey and everything about it.
“I took a step back to just really be grateful, to reflect on the last year and a half of not playing and how it’s pretty cool that I’m still playing and have the opportunity to be part of this group.”
But the veteran is not just back to make up the numbers. Her maternity leave will extend to December and she won’t return to work until January.
For years she juggled work and football. Now, it’s family and football.
“I really just wanted to take the whole year to concentrate on football,” she said.
“This could be my last season so I want to absolutely give it a red-hot crack and put myself in the best position to really enjoy it.
“Not many people have the opportunity to be in an elite sport environment, have a kid and come back as well. I’ve had so much support and I’m so grateful.”
Illness limited her pre-season minutes against Gold Coast and Richmond. But after an extended pre-season and a renewed focus, Lutkins believes she still has a role to play in the heart of the Brisbane backline.
As for whether she can return to the All-Australian form that made her one of the most decorated players in the competition? Only time will tell.
“Honestly, I just want to get back out there, play some good footy and do my role for the club,” she said.
“If I can do that and play to a competitive standard, I’m going to be happy with that.
“I don’t know how I’ll be this year or how I’ll go, but what I can do is put myself in the best position to give it a red hot crack.
“I’m just ready to play some footy.”
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