Alyce Parker can't quite believe what 2020 has thrown her way.
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The Holbrook export, who was drafted to the GWS Giants in the 2018 AFLW Draft, will spend two weeks of her pre-season training at Lavington Sports Ground, a place she played so much of her footy on growing up.
Her teammates are set to arrive in Albury today after the Giants announced on Wednesday to temporarily relocate to the Border in response to Sydney's COVID-19 outbreak.
Before the pandemic derailed the 2020 AFLW season, Parker and the Giants picked up four premiership points at Wagga's Robertson Oval against Richmond, a 40-minute drive from her family's Cookardinia farm.
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind couple of weeks and as terribly timed as it was for an outbreak to happen nearing Christmas, it worked out okay for us as we were nearing our two-week Christmas and New Year break," Parker said.
"It actually allowed us to get firstly get out of Sydney and be safe and healthy with our families, but also have a bit of time up our sleeves to sit down and plan out the next course of action.
"I've had a few people ask how I feel about it (training in Albury) and it's a bit of a weird one.
"To be training and playing on grounds I've spent so many hours on as a 15 and 16-year-old girl and to be playing AFL, which is my dream, on the same ovals is pretty cool.
To be training and playing on grounds I've spent so many hours on as a 15 and 16-year-old girl and to be playing AFL, which is my dream, on the same ovals is pretty cool.
- Alyce Parker
"It will be a good opportunity for a lot of the girls from Sydney and other parts of Australia to see a bit of home and where I come from and probably get to know a bit more of my story.
"It's also amazing for Albury to have the opportunity to host an AFLW team. The club and the girls are extremely grateful for the city of Albury letting us in and allowing us to continue our training to get ready for round one."
The Giants finished second in their conference and were eliminated in the semi-finals before the AFLW season was abandoned just days later.
Parker admitted it has been a year of continuous challenges, but she was fortunate enough to spend lockdown on the farm with her loved ones and is now better prepared for any potential setbacks with the competition in 2021.
"I think this pre-season we've spent a lot of time being ready for something like this to come around the corner," she said.
"I think the AFL and AFLPA (players association), as well as the clubs and governements have been really proactive and had plans in place in the case something like this was to pop up and that's the exact reason they've navigated it so well in such a short period of time.
"It's another COVID-related challenge, but we're really looking forward to hitting the road together and Albury is an amazing outcome."
All Giants players and staff from Sydney must return a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure and will be tested on arrival in Albury.