TAM LUKE was happily eating brunch when she received a text message that changed her life.
"I was just out at brunch and then I got this text message that said, 'Hey, this is Trent from the Richmond Football Club, can you give me a call? I've got something I want to discuss with you," said Luke.
The 36-year-old Luke had just retired from football at every level, following a successful VFLW season with the Box Hill Hawks where the ruck was named in the competition's Team of the Year.
Trent turned out to be Trent Mosbey, Richmond's recruiting manager.
"I gave him (Trent) a call and he was like, 'Montana McKinnon's just done her ACL, are you interested in coming and playing?'
"I was like, 'To coach?' and he's like, 'Nah, to play.'
"So I said, 'Give me 24 hours.'"
Luke had previously played 15 games at St Kilda and Hawthorn.
In her third season, Luke ruptured her ACL innocuously at a centre bounce. She returned the following year to play a further seven games, then decided to retire from AFLW at the end of 2023.
But there was still a part of her that wanted to play football. After spending 10 and a half months on the sidelines rehabbing her ACL, Luke felt she still had more to give and decided to play one final season of VFLW.
"Obviously with an ACL rehab it's such a long time," said Luke.
"I came back and started playing within 10 and a half months, so I was really happy with that, but I didn't really feel like I got back to my best when I got back to AFLW.
"So I thought, 'You did all the hard work, just play VFLW for another season. Just one – have fun and finish footy,' which I did."
Luke not only had fun, but she had an exceptional season playing 14 matches, averaging 13 disposals, 16 hitouts and a goal a game. Then the 36-year-old retired exactly as she had planned – or so she thought.
A day after Mosbey's initial message, Luke found herself back on an AFLW list at her third club.
"I was still feeling really good after the VFLW season. I felt really fit and I had a really good season so I thought, 'Why not? What's the worst thing – that I don't play a game?'"
But it wasn't long until Luke got a call up.
Following an injury to teammate Poppy Kelly, Luke found herself in the team for the Tigers' week four game against Carlton, making the comeback complete.
"I think I still have Gatorade in my ears from the Gatorade shower!"
"It was a ripper, we had a win, it's been so much fun.
"The girls are so lovely, the coaches, the support staff, the whole club are amazing, they've been so welcoming."
Richmond coach Ryan Ferguson said the group is just excited to have Luke around.
"She just plays every game like it's her last," said Ferguson after their win against Port Adelaide.
"Our players referenced it after the game how inspiring she was because she just plays every ball on its merits."
Richmond (4-1) is in the top eight ahead of facing high-flying North Melbourne in Tasmania on Sunday.
