Cheyne Webster nearly lost his life in a motorbike accident two years ago and his resilience has inspired the Queanbeyan Tigers to an unlikely premiership victory.
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The Tigers gave Webster a new lease on life and he repaid the club by leading them to an historic AFL Canberra women's premiership in the league's 20th season.
A stunning final quarter gifted the Tigers a 6.3 (39) to 3.6 (24) grand final victory over the Gungahlin Jets at Greenway Oval on Saturday.
Webster says his first season in charge at the Tigers since leaving Eastlake has been his most treasured year so far and a premiership trophy was the perfect gift to the club that's given him so much.
Webster was riding his motorbike from Canberra Airport to his apartment when a car with its indicator on drove straight and collided with him at 80 kilometres per hour in 2015.
The Tigers coach will never forget the looks on the faces of his parents and fiance when he was stuck in a hospital bed.
It's been a driving force behind everything he's done since then and now he'll never forget the elation on the faces of his Tigers players when the siren sounded to mark their premiership win.
"It's obviously been a really tough couple of years," Webster said.
"It took me a long time to get over that both physically and mentally. Eastlake were really great at the time and gave me some time away from footy.
"Queanbeyan have continued on that really great support. I've been really blessed to be at two great clubs so it's great."
Tigers star Ella Ross was named best on ground to cap off a whirlwind year that started with the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the AFLW.
Ross says the Tigers are like a family to her and the club culture was there for all to see with a sea of yellow and black on hand to watch Queanbeyan in the decider.
Webster says Ross has played a pivotal role in bringing the women's side together and inspiring their premiership charge from fourth on the ladder.
"The club has been fantastic and the way that everyone from the juniors to under 18s, to first and second grade and the women's, everyone is on the same page and the support is phenomenal," Webster said.
"It's a really tight knit group and the girls we've recruited and brought in have fitted in seamlessly. That all stems from our really strong leadership group. The girls are very close for sure."
Yass won the men's fourth grade premiership with a 6.17 (53) to 7.4 (46) win over the Cootamundra Blues.
