Grace Kemp's 21st birthday was one she will not be forgetting anytime soon.
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But for all the wrong reasons.
It was not the fairytale day the ACT Brumbies player had hoped for, as she found out she would not make her Wallaroos' debut against the United States.
A week later, however, and Kemp's national team dream became a reality when the 21-year-old was named in Australia's squad to face Canada.
She was crying.
Her family was crying.
Everyone was crying.
Because she explained her family and friends had been there every step of the way in her three-year wait to don the green and gold.
"When the team got announced I had a cry," Kemp said.
"If you're not in the 23, you get a text message and have a meeting with the coach. I was a bit confused, after I didn't get a message. I was so surprised.
"I've been in the squad since 2019 and for the time to finally come for me to get the opportunity to be on that bench and verse an international team, I'm so excited."
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Kemp will be wearing her special lifting blocks, despite some panic after she misplaced one this week, and her signature two-braid ponytail with an Australian No. 20 jersey rounding it out.
The Canberra Royals youngster is yet to learn how many minutes she is likely to get against Canada off the bench, but is ready for whenever Wallaroos' coach Jay Tregonning calls on her.
As she has been honing her craft alongside backrowers Grace Hamilton and Shannon Perry, adding how much Hamilton had been helping her prepare in camp.
"She has been helping a lot at training, especially since I didn't play No. 8 for the Brumbies last season, I was playing six," the Harden Red Devils junior said.
"So she's helped me a lot with the technical stuff and I'm very grateful. We may be going for the same position, but she's put the time aside to actually help me."
The Australian side are chasing their first win of the Pacific Four Series, following losses to both the US and New Zealand.
The young No. 8 believes the Wallaroos can get across the line at Okara Park, especially with the help of her Brumbies teammates Jemima McCalman and Michaela Leonard.
Kemp said the main thing they needed to do against the North American side was trust their process.
"Canada have strong ball carriers. They're big, built girls, so they're going to run that ball hard," she said.
"We have to trust our process, get around that corner, get into our places and carry that ball hard against them.
"Hopefully we come away with a win, that'd be pretty special."
Pacific Four Series
Saturday - Australia v Canada, Okara Park at 11.30am AEST via StanSport
Wallaroos squad: 1. Liz Patu, 2. Ashley Marsters, 3. Bridie O'Gorman, 4. Michaela Leonard, 5. Kaitlan Leaney, 6. Piper Duck, 7. Shannon Parry, 8. Grace Hamilton, 9. Layne Morgan, 10. Arabella McKenzie, 11. Lori Cramer, 12. Cecilia Smith, 13. Georgina Friedrichs, 14. Jemima McCalman, 15. Pauline Piliae-Rasabale Reserves: 16. Tiarna Molloy, 17. Madison Schuck, 18. Asoiva Karpani, 19. Sera Naiqama, 20. Grace Kemp, 21. Iliseva Batibasaga, 22. Trilleen Pomare, 23. Mahalia Murphy
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
