With just five minutes remaining in last year's historic Queensland-Tonga clash, Ivania Wong had almost completed the perfect milestone game.
Her teammates were running rampant on a hot, wet track in Nuku'alofa and Wong, 27, had already bagged a record-breaking 18th try in her record-breaking 38th Reds appearance.
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But as the seconds ticked down towards a comfortable 65-0 win, Lady Luck took an early shower.
“It was so hot out there, I hadn’t felt that heat since I was back home (in Papua Guinea) and there was about five minutes to go when it happened,” Wong told rugby.com.au.
“I got the ball and was kind of taken sideways before (the tackler)’s weight went straight into my ankle - out of this whole little body of mine, that’s the part she had to land on!”
The result – a broken fibula and syndesmosis requiring two surgeries, eight screws and a six-month road to recovery.
It was another tough blow for Wong after her notable omission in Jo Yapp’s 30-strong Wallaroos squad named back in April 2024.
Since then, her absence has fast-tracked NSW duo Maya Stewart and Desiree Miller to Test incumbency while Brumbies flyer Biola Dawa is another wing contender after earning her maiden Wallaroos cap last year.
But with Wong's rehabilitation progressing nicely and a February trial match circled in red, the star winger is heading into 2025 hungrier than ever.
“Last year wasn’t really a great year for me but getting injured in Tonga allowed me to slow down, hit the reset, focus and reflect on everything,” Wong said.
“(Queensland) weren’t getting a lot of Super W wins and it’s tough when you’re not able to get the ball and express yourself but I was still getting those phone calls and feedback from the (Wallaroos) coaches.
"They were pretty clear on what I needed to do - things around my speed and acceleration - and now I know what I need to do to get back, so now it’s just getting the body right and working on those goals.
“There’s nothing worse than doing your own running. It's real head noise when you're fighting those demons alone but I was lucky that I could come into Ballymore over the off-season and drag a few of the girls in with me.
“I'm going through my return to contact at the moment and next week I’ll get back to bone-on-bone contact training. I guess (Wallaroos) is at the back of my mind but right now I’m focused on those little parts of my recovery and ticking everything.
"For me, that Queensland jersey is the first goal and playing in those February trial games.”
A Reds staple since debuting in 2018, Wong bleeds maroon but is yet to fully come to terms with her status as Queensland's all-time caps and tries leader (she's also ranked fourth on all-time points list behind Lori Cramer, Cecilia Smith and Perise Ili).
“I wouldn’t be here without everyone here who’s helped me," Wong said.
"This place and this jersey means a lot to me, the people here are people that I love and that keeps me hungry because I’m not done, I don’t feel like I’ve done everything yet that I want to achieve and I feel like I’ve heaps more to give back to the jersey."
“We know we could’ve done so much better last year but that motivates me to show we’re better than we were last year and show we’re hungry to get back to the top.
“Every year the Super W comp gets better and every team gets better but now’s the time to put that work in ahead of trials and start changing those results.”
While Reds fans eagerly await her return along with the debuts of Sevens superstars like Maddi & Teagan Levi, Charlotte Caslick and current Aussie skipper Bella Nasser, Wong has high hopes for a trio of returning Reds in 2025.
“I still feel like Mel Wilks is that standout club player and hasn’t quite unleashed yet – I’m really excited for her and what she can do in our backline – and Briana Dascombe is doing really well after missing two years through injury so I can’t wait to see her back,” Wong told rugby.com.au.
“Sarah (Riordan) is also back in Queensland with us – I had a few seasons of Super W with her early in my career and I know she’s excited to be with the Reds again.
“She’s experienced, an ex-Wallaroo obviously, and knows what it takes at this level so she’ll add something new to our group.”
