From their first day of prep to sharing the field as Gold Coast SUNS AFLW teammates, Mikayla Nurse and Rhianna Ingram have spent almost 13 years side by side.
After losing touch during primary school, the pair were reunited at a Pacific Pines Power training session in 2020, reigniting a friendship and football journey that would take them through the StreetSmarts SUNS Academy and onto the AFLW stage.
Their transition from draft prospects to AFLW players was supported by familiar faces, including AFLW Head Coach Rhyce Shaw, Senior Assistant Coach Sam Iles and Development Coach Selina Priest, who had all guided the pair throughout their junior football pathways.
Since being selected with pick 13 (Nurse) and pick 44 (Ingram), the young SUNS’ story came full circle earlier this season when Shaw named them to feature together at AFLW level for the first time in the club's maiden QClash victory.
“We reflect on it a lot on how far we’ve actually come,” Nurse shared.
“Going back to that first training session, we were just a couple of kids that wanted to try something.
“And now we've gone all this way.”
While Nurse made her AFLW debut in Round 1, Ingram continued working towards her own opportunity.
“I was happy for Mikayla, she'd earned the spot and it was fun,” Ingram said.
“I just knew I had to keep pushing.”
When that opportunity finally arrived in Round 8, Nurse was brought in on the surprise debut announcement, helping Shaw plan the moment while keeping the news from her best friend.
“Rhianna spoke to me and she was like, ‘I'm definitely not playing this week. My meeting was so bad,’” Nurse said.
“I thought she was just trying to make me feel better. She said you'll be fine. It's probably not that bad,” Ingram reflected.
When the announcement finally came, Nurse was tasked with recognising her best friend's achievement in front of the playing group.
“As soon as her mum started talking, I just bawled my eyes out,” Nurse said.
“I had to go off, and kind of just summarise that she earned the spot, and she's been doing so well.”
For Ingram, sharing the occasion with her family, teammates and best friend made the milestone even more special.
“It was just really amazing, having all the girls around me, Mikayla as well, but the whole team, everyone, my parents, it was just really good and wholesome,” Ingram said.
While the pair have already shared a Division 1 premiership at Southport Sharks and four AFLW appearances together, it is their school football days that remain among their most cherished memories.
“It was a 1-2 goal. It was 1-2, 1-2 all the way down the field to the goals,” Nurse recalled.
Away from the field, the connection between the best mates turned teammates is just as strong.
“We don't even have to do anything, it's just nice to have each other's company,” Ingram said.
That sense of connection extends across the broader SUNS playing group, with a Tuesday morning tradition known as Cafe Chaos bringing teammates together for coffee without knowing who else will turn up.
The results speak for themselves, with synergy and trust a clear strength for the SUNS on the field.
“Everyone’s connected and I don't think there's anyone in the team that's out of it,” Ingram said.
“We were talking it about it the other day, we could not care less who is there because we all have such good synergy.
“Everyone comes into the club with a positive mindset and energy. Even if you’re not selected in the team, you’re in the team and everyone’s got a good attitude to push the playing group.”
After featuring in Saturday night's win over Richmond and helping secure the club's place in the AFLW finals, the pair are ‘one step closer’ to their ultimate goal.
“What’s next? Winning a cup,” Nurse shared.
Ingram echoed the sentiment.
“It’s always in the back of our minds. We don't go around, let's do this next thing. It's just a given,” Ingram said.
“We help each other grow every day and I think that's just it. It just happens.
“We’re one step closer.”
