Less than 12 months after a career-threatening knee injury, one of the country's most promising netball talents has returned to the court, just at the right time for Mainland Tactix.
With regular wing defender Greer Sinclair ruled out for the season, former Central Pulse player Paris Lokotui has timed her recovery to perfection, back where she's always wanted to be - on the court.
On Sunday, Lokotui made her first ANZ Premiership appearance, since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament last year.
"I didn't expect it to be so soon," she said. "I just think the love on the sport and the willingness to get back out on court [helped].
"Obviously, we won last year and I wasn't able to be there with the Pulse, so that was a big incentive to get back out there."
Her return couldn't have come at a better time for the Tactix, after Sinclair's season-ending injury.
"She cut [her foot] on glass and it was just at her flat," explained coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek.
Sinclair, Jane Watson and Karin Burger were forming one of the competition's best defensive trios, but Lokotui is an able replacement.
"It feels really good, when we know our outsides are doing hard yakka," said Burger. "That's exactly what she does.
"She's really eager to learn and picked up really well in our trainings."
That kind of hard work saw the Lokotui, 21, called into the 2021 Silver Ferns training squad and the black dress is still a major target.
"I'm obviously hoping to have a good season with the Tactix and to win that final goal of a championship for the region. That's definitely a personal goal of mine."
That goal seems a lot closer, now she's got her chance with the Tactix.
