Broadmeadow Magic midfielder Kobie Ferguson is out to stay injury free after making her return against Newcastle Olympic in NPLW NNSW round 4: 2023

The Broadmeadow midfielder has had more than her fair share of setbacks.

Ferguson ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in her left knee for a second time in July, 2021. She snapped it the first time playing for Manly in 2016 and tore the ACL in her right knee when at South Wallsend in 2019.

Not playing again did cross her mind, knowing the lengthy rehabilitation process that lay ahead.

"It's always in the back of your mind, especially when it's ACL No.3," Ferguson told the Newcastle Herald.

"But I thought, I'm still young and I still wanted to keep all my options open. But that was definitely my last one."

The former Young Matilda was considered one of the country's rising talents before her first ACL injury.

She made five appearances for the Newcastle Jets in the 2015-16 W-League season.

But Ferguson, who turns 24 on Friday, is not looking too far ahead. She is simply glad to be back on the field.

"The knee feels good. Body feels good. I've definitely put in a lot of extra work than what I normally do in pre-season, given the circumstances," she said.

"It's been a long, long rehab process. I counted the other day and it was 603 days since my last game, which is a long time, which is time to think, time to work out what I want to do and where I'm at.

"So, it's been a good reflection period for me and where I'm at now is where I'm comfortable and happy, which is good."

Ferguson started and played almost 60 minutes of Magic's gripping 3-3 draw with Newcastle Olympic at Magic Park on Sunday.

Both sides remain unbeaten and are expected to be pushing for the premiership. Magic are also chasing their first grand final appearance since returning to Northern NSW Football's premier women's league in 2020.

"Staying injury free is a high priority, just enjoying my football, contributing," Ferguson said.

"We have high standards for ourselves at Magic and we want to achieve the best possible result we can, which is obviously winning the league.

"So, that's a high priority of mine, to help us do that, which I think we definitely can do. It's probably the strongest team we've had in the four seasons that we've been in the comp."

Meanwhile, Magic forward Kiarra Lewis is set to return when they travel to play Maitland on Sunday after serving a one-match suspension but centre-back Kirstyn Antoni will be sidelined through a one-game ban of her own after being red-carded for two yellow card offences against Olympic.

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