Madison Ashby has no intention of easing back into action when the new HSBC SVNS season gets underway in Dubai on Saturday, November 29. The Aussie star might have been out of action since May 2024, but there is only one thing on her mind.
“I just can't wait to get back out there, no matter who it is against and what country they play for. Just getting back on the world stage again for me will probably be one of the best moments of my career,” Ashby said. “It does excite me a lot.”
The enthusiasm is understandable. Ashby has had to sit and watch since suffering a brutal knee injury in Singapore 18 months ago. But it is the intention the 24-year-old returns with that will be getting Australia fans excited.
“The Championship is an amazing goal,” Ashby said. “Then Perth, and obviously Dubai… I want to win everything.”
‘The Quad Squad’
First picked out by the Australian media as a diamond prospect when she was 13 years old, Ashby made her international debut in 2018 and was part of the squad that lost in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. By the time she lined up in Singapore ahead of what she hoped would be a triumphant Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the star back had played 25 tournaments and been named captain.
A torn ACL, combined with additional complications, ruined that dream. But, despite 484 days of recovery, Ashby, remarkably, considers herself lucky.
“I was quite fortunate in rehab because I had a very good medical team, I had my coaches who supported us, and also I had three other girls that had done their ACL at the same time,” Ashby shared. “Our strength and conditioning coach and our physio named us the ‘Quad Squad’, the OG rehabbers of the season. We were a very tight-knit team.”
‘A growing process’
Understanding the ‘physical and mental’ effort it takes to recover from long-term injury has given Ashby a different insight into the game. Not to mention plenty of time to study Australia’s burgeoning sevens squad.
“I hate to use the word development, but last season was a huge growing process for our squad,” Ashby said of a team that won in Dubai and Perth but ultimately could not stop New Zealand from grabbing the HSBC SVNS season title and triumphing in the Grand Final.
“We had a number of young talents coming into our team and it was good to get them the experience under their belts. So, leading into this season they have more confidence.”
The confidence the coaches have shown in Ashby to not only parachute her straight back into the squad, but to also hand her the captain’s armband alongside Isabella Nasser is intoxicating.
“At first, I was kind of like, this year I just want to focus on myself and focus on playing good footy again and earning my spot again in the team, but the coaches were very encouraging and supportive,” Ashby said.
“It took me a long time to get my confidence back, especially because my injury was an impact injury. It wasn't a normal ACL. So, my first contact session I stood there and nearly cried because of the fear of doing it again. But like I said, they gave me a lot of confidence.”
A series of pre-season games in Fiji, versus the host nation, New Zealand and an English side was the final boost Ashby needed, convincing her that she is “ready and prepared for this”.
‘Good cop, bad cop’
The fact she is sharing captaincy duties with Nasser – who took over from the iconic Charlotte Caslick in 2024 — helps hugely.
“Bella has been probably one of the most supportive people behind the scenes for me,” Ashby revealed. “Especially with her knowing I'm going to come into this role with her, she's been nothing but open and transparent.”
The duo won’t have any set boundaries as to who is responsible for what, but they do have a plan.
“We always say good cop, bad cop,” Ashby laughed, declining to confirm who’s who. “We blend off each other really well, seamlessly. She knows when to speak, I know when to speak, and we’re very open with one another. I feel a lot more at ease knowing that she’s right by my side.”
With that sorted, Caslick and Tia Hinds back from Rugby World Cup 2025 duty, it is on to Dubai and a first chance to take down New Zealand and the rest of the best.