On a sunny Melbourne day a local football club made up of recovering alcoholics have fought their way to their sweetest victory yet.
The Salvo Hawks are part of Reclink, an organisation in it's 26th year, which uses sport and art programs to reach people from a range of disadvantaged backgrounds nationally.
Since its inception in 1990, it has been a saving grace for thousands of people.
Reclink's chief executive John Ballis said sport was the "soft door" to engage people experiencing disadvantage to come together.
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"The sort of changes that people have expressed to me is it's transformed their lives," Mr Ballis said.
"We see additional benefits in helping to transform and change their lives and people moving towards pathways of learning, pathways to employment or pathways to improving their own personal health and well-being."
The Hawks' coach, former Collingwood Premiership player Gavin Crosisca, said the team met once a week and its members gave each other something conventional rehabilitation programs could not provide.
"Their Wednesdays are what they really look forward to," Crosisca said.
"It's the one day of the week where they have a real purpose in life and in early recovery finding that purpose sort of purpose is a really key ingredient."
Kathleen Sailor, 26, is a key player of the Salvo Hawks and was given an award that best represents the values of the Salvo Hawks: football and recovery.
She has been clean for nine months from a prior ice addiction which led her to homelessness, psychosis and self-harm.
"When it got really low I just had no hope, and ultimately I was in a really dark head space, and I wanted to take my life, I wanted to end it. I just didn't think it would get better. And I did. I attempted suicide once," she said.
She is still in a rehab program but said being involved in the club's matches were vital during her road to recovery.
"When I'm out there in the zone and after the game, the adrenaline - it's a natural high," she said.
"I'm just pumped and full of excitement and the world just seems like a really beautiful place."
She said being part of the team and program "definitely saved my life" and put her on a path she never thought she'd get on.
The team's win has been an added bonus to a journey to a grand final like none other.
"It just means everything," Ms Sailor said.
"I got a sense of direction and a sense of purpose just to be among like-minded people that are all wanting the same result: just to have a really beautiful life."
