Gun defender O'Leary to return for Bushsows as virus disrupts university plans

The defender, who was crowned the Farrer League's best player last year after winning the Marilyn Brooks Medal by a massive 12 votes, is studying agricultural science and was set to undertake work placement at Griffith in her final year.

But that has now been delayed, along with the Bushsows' quest to go one better after losing the past two grand finals to The Rock-Yerong Creek.

"I was scheduled to have my industry placement this year but that's been postponed," the 22-year-old said.

"If this placement isn't completed I won't graduate, and my whole class is in the same boat.

"It's my fifth year at uni, and if I have to tack another year on it's quite a long time.

"It is frustrating but it's also out of my hands. I am stressed that I won't get it done, but it's not something I can really control."

O'Leary is no stranger to missing plenty of netball after back-to-back ruptures of her anterior cruciate ligament put paid to her 2016 and 2017 seasons.

But being unable to play when fit is a totally different challenge.

"Under normal circumstances and living on campus when you'd be inside most of the day and doing classes, you'd get to 6pm and head to the courts and it was such a big relief," she said.

"Not having that or the social aspect of it is hard. I know I've had to push myself to keep my fitness up because it's so easy to make excuses when you're not getting together with other people.

"We're staying connected online as best we can and sharing what we're doing which is motivation for everyone, but we are missing the social aspect of it.

"I did have two consecutive years off with my injury and that was bizarre because it was like 'jeez it's Saturday and I'm not doing anything'.

"Now I've had two years back and I'm in the same boat again, and not because I'm hurt. The whole situation is quite surreal."

O'Leary said the Bushsows will have a lot of new players this year, which means a compressed season would be a challenge as teams will have to produce results immediately.

"When netball comes back I don't know if they're going to say we can train with each other now for a couple of weeks or so, or just start straight games away," she said.

"We have a lot of new girls and it will take adjustment.

"We'd love to take the flag this season if it does go ahead. A-grade will definitely have a burning desire to get over the line.

"I assume we'll be having a compressed season and I'm not sure how it will work. I know last year B-grade (who O'Leary coached) for example didn't win a game until game five (before winning the premiership).

"I think it will have an impact on the teams that are slower to connect together, a compressed season will definitely be a challenge."

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