Nicole’s long road to 50 SANFLW games

By ZAC MILBANK

If there is one quality South Adelaide’s Nicole Collie has an abundance of, it is persistence.

Set to line up in her 50th Hostplus SANFLW League game against North at Prospect on Saturday, the 28-year-old could have easily walked away from State League football throughout her unpredictable journey.

Starting her SANFLW career in the historic first match for Norwood at The Parade in Round 1 of 2017, Collie is now at her fourth SANFLW club as she becomes the seventh player to reach 50 SANFLW games.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, Collie said she enjoyed her time at each of her other SANFL clubs – Norwood, North Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens – while developing herself as a consistent performer.

Originally a semi-professional tennis player, Collie turned to football after suffering an injury and has thrived in her new pursuit ever since, initially playing with Adelaide University.

Having begun her career as a key forward, she has since reinvented herself at the other end of the field, where she has become a steady presence on the last line of defence for the Panthers this season.

Off the field, Collie has been meeting every challenge thrown at her while working as a laboratory technician for SA Pathology during the Covid-19 pandemic.