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After rehabbing with team physio Rob, Tramayne was back to a full sprint and fit to compete within days. Photos supplied
A Burdekin touch footballer has helped bring the Australian Emus Women’s 40s side to Asia Pacific glory, overcoming an injury which threatened to end her tournament before it began.
Tramayne Horan made her international debut at the Asia Pacific Seniors Touch Cup in Japan last month, appearing in two group-stage clashes before contributing to a 3-1 grand final victory over trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.
Representing the nation marked the realisation of a decades-long dream for the touch footy veteran, who called the experience “amazing.”
“My heart was racing,” she said, recalling the moments before her debut.
“My adrenaline was skyrocketing, and I knew if I wanted to perform at my best, I had to definitely bring it down.
“We had exceptional ladies … who were so supportive. They trusted me and my skills, and that made me trust my skills and know that I was more than capable to step out onto the field and wear the jersey.”
A training injury sustained before the tournament opener kept Tramayne out of the side’s first two days of competition.
Confirmed as a grade one ligament tear in her ankle, she feared she might not see the pitch at all.
“I was completely devastated. I've never rolled my ankle inward like that in my life,” Tramayne said.
“The physio told me to just stay positive. In my head, I had to reinforce that as well because I hadn't even made it on the field yet.
“I just kept telling myself, ‘I'm going to come back from this. I'm going to come back from this.’”
After extensive rehabbing with team physios, Tramayne was back to a full sprint and fit to compete within days.
She said the injury scare made her debut all the more emotional.
“As soon as I got my got my ankle strapped and did my warm-up, I basically cried. I was just shaking,” she said.
“I turned and looked at my coach, and I think I scared him—he didn't know if it was good crying or bad crying. I just ran up and gave him a hug.
“Everything came to fruition. I was finally getting on the paddock with my teammates and finally represent Australia.”
Tramayne's maiden Australian call-up is the latest chapter of a 33-year touch football career. The Brothers A Grade player began playing at just 13 years old, representing Queensland a number of times since.
She hopes to don maroon again for next year’s State of Origin series, where she expects to face some of her New South Wales-based national team peers.
Her attention will then turn to the 2028 World Cup in New Zealand, where she aims for back-to-back national team selections.
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