When it comes to pointing mob in the right direction, Shepparton's Rumbalara Football-Netball Club is at the forefront of Aboriginal leaders over its storied past.
Its history dates back to the days on the Cummeragunja Reserve, located on the banks of the Murray River, where the origins of the spirited football journey of Sir Doug Nicholls began before his Yorta Yorta people were forcibly moved onto new land in Shepparton.
The modern-day club's founding president, Uncle Paul Briggs, champions the role sport plays in fostering connections within Aboriginal communities and breaking down racial barriers.
And then there's April Le Sueur, a 24-year-old who for all intents and purposes was raised inside the club's home rooms and is familiar with every blade of grass on the Rumbalara Recreation Reserve.
The humble leadership she demonstrates recently garnered the attention of the Australian Rules custodians at Melbourne's AFL headquarters.
Le Sueur, after all, is the backbone of Rumba's women's program.
The irony is her troublesome back has kept her off the field, yet is probably the reason why the club's women's side is the envy of the Northern Country Women's Football League.
"April is one of our young leaders that's in our community," Briggs says.
"Her role in women's football has been instrumental to getting a women's footy team out on the park."
The women joined the Rumbalara's seniors and reserves football sides, its three netball grades and their juniors in 2018, however once the pandemic arrived, the aftermath from COVID-19 threatened to end the existence of its women's football program for good.
But Le Sueur was having none of it, as she single-handedly relaunched women's football at the club in 2024.
"April just means everything to the Rumbalara Football-Netball Club," football club vice-president Jarvis Atkinson says.
"She's inspiring, always motivated and she shows up for us."
It's not hard to hear the passion for both the club and the game in Le Suer's voice.
But she was lost for words the day AFL ambassador Brian Taylor, the 1986 leading VFL/AFL goalkicker, arrived at the club.
Le Sueur was aware she was nominated for the AFL's Young Leader of the Year and turned up reluctantly to the clubrooms, convinced the commitment was solely for a second interview in the process towards the award.
She was left in shock after recognising Taylor, before the TV commentator announced she had won the award and a Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD Hybrid car as a prize.
"I knew something must have been up when I saw him there," Le Sueur admitted.
"I said to my husband, Josh, 'That's that lad from the AFL', so I just sort of knew what was going down from there."
The volunteer is proof grassroots clubs, especially one who represents Indigenous people, are the living heartbeat of the community sport.
Le Sueur meets on the football-netball board every month, and also chairs a separate women's football committee that "we made up this year".
Then there's up to four cold nights for training, including hanging around Rumbalara Reserve for her husband's reserves side.
"Most of my voluntary things are based around the women's football on Sundays," she explains.
"But I dedicate my time to time-keep my husband's games on a Saturday too."
Josh Le Sueur repays the favour to his wife on the Sunday. The side's trainer backs up from his own match and is always on hand to strap up or see to an injury in a sign of teamwork which typifies the spirit of the club and its sense of community.
When she's not in the office at work, Le Sueur is in the rooms devising the next step for her beloved Indigenous club's sisters – including her own family's sisters too.
"Every now and then, I do sit at my work desk and make sure everything is sorted too," she laughs.
"Sometimes I like to bring the women's football business to work, and my boss will look over my shoulder and say, 'Not women's football today, please'."
Footy servants such as La Sueur would bleed for their club and while standing on the sidelines is hard to do, the club is indelibly in her blood.
"I was basically raised at Rumbalara Football and Netball Club because my dad and mum were players – my dad was a footballer that I always watched him before I started playing netball," she said.
"As soon as I was finished playing my game, I'd always walk straight over to watch the footy.
"I don't know why but I just love football and being a part of that, but it also has been pretty good for my mental health.
"It feels my cup each week."
At this point, Le Sueur pauses and explains one point.
She details the deep family roots associated with the club.
"I'm an Atkinson too – maybe you can put that in there?" Le Sueur asks.
"Just in case people ask, 'What's that French last name?'."
The Atkinson surname is synonymous with the history of Rumbalara and on Yorta Yorta Country.
Both the 2025 senior co-coaches – Kane and Jamie – are Atkinsons while Kydan Atkinson was last year's club best and fairest.
Despite the dedication to "our people", there is a dark side to Le Sueur's undisputed loyalty to the Rumba.
During the pandemic recess where interest from most of their female players waned after the cancelled seasons, she not only flirted but played elsewhere in the Goulburn Valley region.
The experience of playing for a rival side is slowly all but a faded memory.
"After three years, I was 'Nup – I need Rumbalara (women's side) back up and running'," she uttered to herself.
"So, I reached out to the president of our club at the time, and I was like I want to get the team up and going, and he said Rumbalara were happy to support me.
"There wasn't as much support last year, so this year I put my hand up to be team manager.
"But I must admit, I didn't know what I was doing."
Playing and managing the team as a player while organising everything up to the last moment left Le Sueur little time to get changed and warm up before running out on the oval.
"It's been kind of good that I haven't had that playing commitment (this year) – it's kind of sad, but good, as I was able to focus on manager duties," she says.
