This time last year Martha Harvey and Brooke McKinnon were preparing for a Central North finals campaign with Narrabri.
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On the weekend they combined with former Central North team-mate, Eliza O'Donnell (Gunnedah), to be part of an historic Jack Scott Cup triumph with Eastern Suburbs.
In an upset for the ages, the Beasties defeated minor premiers Sydney Uni Gold 22-17 to win their first title since the women's program was reformed.
"I actually can't believe that we won the game on the weekend, it feels insane," Harvey said.
They were very much underdogs going in.
Uni were undefeated, whereas they had to win their final round game against the Hunter Wildfires just to make the finals.
Uni too had beaten them in both of their previous encounters, although there was only four points in their last meeting, which did give them a bit of confidence, she said.
They had also never made the grand final before and Uni were perennial grand finalists.
But, all of that only made the win all the more satisfying, and the celebrations all the better.
"To get the win on Saturday it was the best feeling," Harvey said.
Especially to do it alongside two of her best mates, in McKinnon and O'Donnell.
"It's just so funny that we're all at the same club and all from the same area and played against each other and with each other at junior level, and have gone through rep together and now we've just won the premiership in Sydney together," she said.
"It was a pretty special moment."
They aren't the only local connection in the Easts ranks with former Pirates captain Rosie Ferguson featuring for them throughout the season along with another former Pirate Chantelle Nettleton.
For Harvey, the win capped off what was, a couple of injuries aside, a great first year in Sydney.
Despite being confined to the sidelines for, accumulated, about half the season, it was really good for her rugby development. Just being in that environment she learnt a lot, especially around the 15s game.
Before this year she'd played some 15s at rep level but never an actual competition.
"So that's definitely been important and I need to get more of that in," she said.
"I've still got a long way to go, and next year I'm keen to be able to get a full season of 15s in."
She also played in the sevens competition with Gordon (Easts didn't have a team). Played every second weekend, she had to get up on Sunday for the final round of that.
Understandably she was "a bit rusty".
She is also loving it at Easts.
"Everyone's really close. Everyone hangs out outside of footy, and the atmosphere and the culture of the team is really good," she said.
"And then to be able to play with the Wallaroos girls who came back and played with Easts was so cool."
Other than her weekly training sessions with the NSW sevens national academy, it is a bit quiet now until hopefully pre-season training with the Waratahs.
Harvey was part of the training squad for this year and is hopeful of getting another opportunity with them.
