You would’ve forgiven Heidi Dennis for walking around Perth with a little more caution than the rest of her teammates.
However, the multi-sport star is relishing the chance to play consistent Rugby as the Sevens side prepares for action to get underway at HBF Park on Friday.
Watch every match of this week's Perth SVNS live and on-demand, exclusively on Stan Sport.
Dennis has become an integral part of Tim Walsh’s side in 2024-25 after bursting onto the scene in Perth last year.
The teenager scored on debut as the Australians advanced to the finals, with the Queenslander soaking it all in.
“I don't know how to explain it, it was amazing when I debuted here last year,” she told Rugby.com.au
“It was great to have my family all came over to watch me play, which was great. It was a perfect spot to debut being home soil in such a beautiful part of the country.”
However, Dennis’ dream turned into a nightmare quickly after a series of unfortunate last-minute injury setbacks derailed her 2024 season.
It began in Canada where she tore her quad the day before the Vancouver leg, forcing her back to Australia.
She worked her way back and was preparing to play for Singapore, only to damage the syndesmosis in her ankle hours before boarding to play, undergoing surgery.
A hamstring injury ensured she would not feature at the Olympics, capping off the wretched luck.
“It definitely plays in your mind, the thought was you've just got to do everything you can to just to get through training yesterday injury-free,” she said and laughed when asked if she was taking a cautious approach to training this time around.
“It was really hard. I was lucky enough that I was able to go home in those periods of time to start my rehab back at home so my family and my friends surrounded me.
“You've just got to keep going and hopefully you will come out the other end.”
The long setback allowed Dennis to return to her property just outside of Warwick, two hours south west of Brisbane.
For the star athlete just out of school, the injury allowed her to spend valuable time with family, having moved straight down to Sydney at the end of year 12.
“Moving out of home at such a young age, you don't realise how much you rely on your family
“It was really good to be able to go home and like reset and yeah, being surrounded by everyone all the time.”
Dennis spent the last few years of her schooling juggling Sevens and Soccer, signed by the Brisbane Roar in the A-League as a 16-year-old.
The 19-year-old was fresh off being named in the Young Matildas squad and it came at the same time the Queensland Reds were offering her a Sevens contact in the Queensland Academy of Squad.
Eventually, the Sevens circuit called for Dennis and she hasn’t looked back since.
“It was the perfect time for Sevens since I was in a bit of a pickle with Brisbane Roar with like back to back injuries as my contract came up and they offered more at the time,” she said.
“I was quite torn at the time, it took me a while to make the final decision but it was my biology teacher Joshua Kron, who was the Rugby coach and taught me everything I know, he reassured I can make a big career. My soccer coaches at the time were just saying I could always come back to soccer if I wanted to, but there's only a limited window on Sevens.
