After close to a thousand days and separate ACL injuries, Fremantle forward Mikayla Morrison has made an "amazing" return to football as winning ways continued for the Dockers over Geelong on Tuesday night.
Morrison, 22, had played just four AFLW games before rupturing her left ACL in 2022.
A cruel blow followed last year, suffering another long-term setback with the same injury to her other side and extending an already lengthy stint on the sidelines.
After two full seasons away from play, Morrison returned for the Dockers in their three-goal win over the Cats at GMHBA Stadium last night.
Drafted with pick 30 of the 2020 draft, she'd waited 973 days to play her fifth game.
"It felt amazing. It took a while to get into it…I feel good, I felt comfortable and really supported my teammates. So, amazing," Morrison told Fox Sports post-match.
Her mum and brother jumped on the plane as surprised supporters there to see the comeback.
She paid credit to the key pieces around her on the long road back to the playing arena.
"The support I had around me...my teammates, the whole club, my family, friends, my partner. That definitely kept me going. I wouldn't be able to make it to where I am without their support," Morrison said after their win.
On news of Morrison's inclusion into the side following Monday's captain's run, Freo senior therapist Brett Fletcher said it was long-waiting and well-deserved.
"Playing football, we always speak about how it's a privilege to put on the jumper, and that we have to earn our right to play this game we love, and no one has done it more (than this person), so I'm really excited to see Morro run out!," he said.
After falling two games short of finals in 2023 the Dockers are building as a threat this time around, lodging five wins from their opening six games to sit inside the top four.
