The Shepparton Swans rising star has done the hard yards after an ACL tear sustained on the eve of the 2025 season forced her into a lengthy rehabilitation period.
Coming off state and national netball selection in 2024, as well as a promotion to the Bendigo Strikers VNL championship squad, the timing seemed particularly cruel.
It was a raft of achievements that saw her inducted into the Greater Shepparton Sports Hall of Fame Junior Roll last year.
But instead of building on an already-stacked resume, she was forced to bide her time.
“(The recovery) was about 12 months,” Gall said.
“I feel like it was a lot of time in the gym doing solo running to get your fitness back up, so many benchmarks and things you need to meet to progress through the rehab process.
“It’s definitely a long time that you've got to work towards, improving your strength so that you can get back onto the court.”
However, closing in on a competitive return to play, the light at the end of the tunnel started to glimmer ever brighter.
The highly-touted midcourter was brought on as a training partner with the Melbourne Vixens Academy, spending valuable time honing her craft with some of the best in the business.
“I trained with them over January and still involved a little bit now as well,” she said.
“It’s definitely been a big step up, but it has been good to experience another level and get exposure to some really amazing players and coaches.
“(Seeing) what it takes to be a part of it, the hard work, the consistency of the players in the program, it’s definitely something I want to work towards.”
Then came the long-awaited return.
March 14 saw Gall make her long-awaited Victorian Netball League championship debut and return to play, and she’s been there since in the third-placed Strikers’ bid to make VNL finals.
In April, she did the same with the Shepparton Swans in the Goulburn Valley League with her first game back at her home club since 2024.
After a winding way back to the game she loves, her excitement was edged with another overriding emotion.
“It’s definitely a relief to be back playing and super exciting,” Gall said.
“To be finished rehab, to get through to the end and be back is such a milestone.
“It’s something you think about the whole time, so it's good to be finally back in the position where you can play.
“It’s a relief to know you've made it back.”
Gall’s Swans are eighth and aiming to build on a 1-3 record when they make the trip across to Benalla Showgrounds, facing a Saints outfit looking to notch its first win of the season.
But the game of the round shapes as the contest between fellow undefeated teams Mooroopna and Echuca, doing battle at the Cattery to determine true early season favouritism.
Shepparton United (10th) will be hoping to fire up its campaign in earnest when it heads to the High Country to face Mansfield, sitting pretty in sixth spot.
Seymour and Tatura looms as a fascinating clash between two hopefuls, while Shepparton’s mission to re-establish itself as the undisputed queens of A-grade continues against Rochester.
13°C