Dual All Australian and four-time club champion Alyce Parker has faced one of the biggest challenges of her career this year, after her season was abruptly ended by fracturing her foot in the opening round. What followed has been a journey of frustration and resilience, but also growth - with the star midfielder more eager than ever to return and take her game to even greater heights in 2026 and beyond.

Now six weeks post-surgery on her fractured foot, a much-more upbeat Parker has reached a crucial milestone in her recovery and is determined to use the experience as a springboard to come back stronger, fitter and more influential - both on and off the field.

Reflecting on the round one clash against Essendon, Parker recalled the moment she knew something was wrong.

“I felt something go in my foot at a centre bounce. I planted my foot and I felt something go, but I’ve rolled my ankle so many times and it was a similar feeling but then as I kept running on it I knew it was actually something in my foot.

“I battled for the next six minutes and the longer I played the worse it was feeling. Then the [half-time] siren blew and I beelined for the physios. As soon as I took my foot off the ground I couldn’t put it back on the floor and I realised something was wrong.”

Parker was sent for scans the following day which confirmed the bad news - a season-ending Jones fracture in her foot.

“Eilish [O’Dowd] was with me at the hospital and we were in the car park looking at the x-ray film, trying to see if there was anything in it. I could see there was a fracture without knowing what it was. Then Pete [club doctor Peter Parkes] called me within two minutes and asked if I’d ever heard of a Jones fracture and explained it all to me. It’s also called a dancer’s fracture because dancers can get them a bit.”

Having just completed what she described as the best pre-season of her career, the season-ending injury was particularly tough for the gun GIANT to process.

“That was the thought that was honestly killing me for the first two weeks. Even asking me about it now I get a bit emotional. This was my eighth pre-season and this was the best my body has ever been. From a physical point of view, I couldn’t have been better and in terms of my form and output, it was the fittest I’ve been by far, hitting PBs in the gym. That’s why it absolutely broke my heart when it happened.

“I was very excited for what was potentially going to unfold this season.”

Understandably distraught that her season was over, Parker was emotionally ‘broken’ early in the recovery process but instead of retreating from the game, Parker leaned into a different type of leadership.

“I knew straight away that my season was done and so I wanted to be involved in any capacity I could and the club were fantastic in giving me opportunities straight away around what that could look like. Not everyone gets the chance [when injured] to travel with the team but they allowed me to do that with my coaching ability and my leadership role as they knew that would be a god idea for me and I’m really grateful for them that I’ve been able to do that.”

Admitting in the past she may have dwelled on her circumstances, Parker is making the best of her situation and further evolving her leadership alongside her midfield teammates - this time from the back of the bench on gamedays.

“When you’re playing, you’re focused on yourself as well, but this allows me to really focus on everything else and then when the girls come to the bench you can work through things with them. I’ve really enjoyed it, and it’s allowed me to have some input in the game.

“Once a week we catch up as a midfield and I can help the girls with what their roles look like, but I’ve also had more time to watch vision and sit in on individual reviews which has been a great opportunity to understand my teammates and even their character more deeply.”

Parker admits a couple of expensive purchases and a long-time hobby away from footy also certainly helped her get through the dark days early on.

“I’m terrible at watching TV - I get bored - but I did buy a piano,” Parker grinned.

“I’ve played since I was seven, but I’d always wanted a nice piano here in Sydney. So, about 48 hours after I got injured, I ordered one. It was the week of my birthday, so it felt like a gift to myself. I’m learning Bohemian Rhapsody at the moment, and we’re getting there!

“I also bought a coffee machine so I wouldn’t have to trek to the café every morning [on crutches].”

Now at the six-week mark of her rehab – through which she’s had her right foot in a moon boot the entire time and is aided by crutches - Parker has passed a key milestone and admits the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight.

“It was a critical period because we had to wait until the six-week mark to get it re-x-rayed. I literally had that two hours ago and they were very happy and said it looks very healthy and strong.

“From this week I can begin weight-bearing, and I’ll wean off the crutches over the next week. In two weeks, I can return to running, which I’m very excited about.

“The hardest part has been learning patience. I’d never broken a bone before and that six-week period where you can’tprogress was really frustrating, but we’re finally past the hardest part. From here, things will start to move forward.”

This week’s good news allowed Parker to reflect on the tough times she’d faced earlier in her rehab and the help she’d had along the way.

“The first week was largely pain management with my foot up 24-7. Then it was six weeks of being 100 per cent non-weight bearing - which was a huge challenge.

“I’m also not allowed to drive for eight weeks so I’ve still got two more weeks of that too. Luckily Grace [Kos], ‘Cambo’ [Cambridge McCormick], and Eilish [O’Dowd] all live close by, and Danielle, our Player Development Manager, is just around the corner. They’ve been great support in helping me get places. But bloody Ubers haven’t been great - I’ve had to take a few of them.”

Despite missing all but two quarters of the 2025 season, Parker is certainly finding the silver lining out of her season-ending foot injury.

“It’s been an awful experience, but I’m someone who believes everything happens for a reason. I’ve been looking for opportunities and learnings that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” she said.

“My focus has been on developing as a person - resilience, determination, and learning to rest without guilt. And physically, I’ve been able to focus on upper body strength in a way I never would have otherwise - so there’s been some positives and learnings that wouldn’t have been possible if I wasn’t in this situation.”

Even though her 2025 season is over on field, the star midfielder is excited about what she can produce in 2026 and beyond using what she’s gained from her tough ordeal.

“It’s hard because the reality feels so far away, but I have every confidence I’ll be ready to perform next season.

“I’ve been watching so much footy - more than ever before - and studying the best midfielders in the comp. I’ve been looking at what makes them good and understanding that they’re really good in a certain physical attribute and saying ok well what edges can I gain in my game, like what do I need to do to improve in the gym for starters which will hopefully play dividends out on the field when I'm back out there.

“The ultimate goal is to come back stronger, fitter, and wiser than before.”