IT was an association which began because she looked like she could take a hit and now it's one which has led Kate Gullifer to a piece of Bathurst Bulldogs history.
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On Saturday when Gullifer ran out on to Ashwood Park for the Bulldogs' Ferguson Cup match against Orange City, she became the first female player at the club to notch up 50 senior games.
It is a milestone she didn't really think about and wasn't aware she was on track for until one of her team-mates informed her at the start of the season.
"I missed the first season and I also had last season off. Marita [Shoulders] was the first one to come up to me, she told me when I had 42 games and said I'd be the first one to hit it," Gullifer said.
While flyhalf Gullifer is an integral part of the Bulldogs side and has earned Central West representative honours since joining the club, she had never contemplated playing rugby until having a conversation with Mandy Scott.
It's a conversation she is glad took place.
She was a member of the first Bulldogs women's side to win a Central West premiership in 2017 when they beat Cowra 15-5 on grand final day and she scored a try in the 44-17 win over CSU in the 2018 Ferguson Cup decider.
Gullifer won another premiership medal with Bulldogs in 2019, that 34-28 triumph over Orange Emus her favourite rugby moment thus far.
"I actually got into rugby because of Mandy Scott. I was playing touch footy with Mandy and she just said 'You look like you can take a hit so you can come to training'. I did and I've enjoyed it, very much so," Gullifer said.
"I think Bulldogs' grand final win two years ago at home against Emus was the definite highlight."
On Saturday Gullifer provided some of the highlights as Bulldogs marked her 50th game with a 55-10 win over Orange City.
She scored their fifth try of the contest in the second quarter, slicing through the Lions' defence on the left edge after Bulldogs spread the ball wide from a line-out.
Gullifer had some 40 metres to run to the line before planting the ball under the sticks.
"I didn't think I was going to get there, I was on the treadmill, but I got there," she laughed.
"I did take one sneaky look over my shoulder and I thought 'If she dives she's got me, but nup, I got there'."
Gullifer also had two try assists in a dominant first half display from the Bulldogs, the hosts zipping out to a 36-0 half-time lead.
Twenty-nine seconds after played resumed Bulldogs skipper Mardi Watts scored her second try of the match - her speed on the fringes leaving the Lions' defence with no answers - and Gullifer converted to make it 43-0.
After that the Lions rallied and scored the next two tries, but a Bulldogs win was never in doubt.
"We panicked a lot, usually we get rid of it in the first five minutes of the first quarter, usually it's just a touch of the ball and it's over. I don't know what it was today, maybe it was because it was the first home game in awhile," Gullifer said.
"Orange City are a good side to play too, they've definitely improved."
BATHURST BULLDOGS 55 (Jacinta Windsor 2, Mardi Watts 2, Ruby Clarke 2, Claudia McLaren, Lily McIntosh, Kate Gullifer tries; Gullifer 3, Molly Kennedy 2 conversions) defeated ORANGE CITY 10 (Holly Jones, Lily Bone tries)
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