Rebecca Bulley has come a long way since playing junior netball with Calivil United, with the talented defender taking out the Holden Cruze Player of the Year award in the 2010 ANZ Championship Series.Playing with the NSW Swifts, Bulley won the “Brownlow of netball” by four votes from teammate Catherine Cox, which was announced on Monday night following the Swift’s win against Southern Steel.Despite now being recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand’s best netballers, Bulley almost missed out on playing in the ANZ Championship Series when she was not offered a place with the Melbourne Vixens in 2007.The former co-captain of Melbourne Kestrels was left out of the 12-player squad when the Vixens formed and took up an opportunity with NSW Swifts, which has proved to be a successful move for the player.“There have been a few times in my career where I’ve had a big disappointment and then have come back and have still done really well, so that’s what happened when I got on board with the Swifts,” Bulley said.“I’m really grateful to Julie Fitzgerald (NSW Swifts head coach) for giving me at go at the Swifts.” Born in Pyramid Hill, Bulley began her netball career as a junior at Calivil United, where mum Lynley Strachan still coaches.She then joined the Bendigo Football Netball League when her family moved to Bendigo, where she played at Sandhurst Football Netball Club under coach Carol Byers.“It was a very good standard in the Bendigo Netball League,” she said,“I was really fortunate to have a good coach in Carol Byers when I was playing in the Bendigo league at Sandhurst.“She has taught me pretty much everything I know in netball.”Bulley remembers the challenges of being an up-and-coming country netballer and said she was grateful to her parents for their encouragement.“I remember the fist state netball trials I ever went to and I was so nervous because as a country netballer I didn’t know anyone,” she said.“Mum and Dad were always so helpful and willing to take and down and give my opportunities.“If I had any advice for young netballers it would be for them to take every opportunity they get.”Bulley now finds herself as part of one of the most successful teams in the ANZ Championship Series.The Swifts are the first team to be unbeaten in a home-and-away series.“Every game is so competitive,” said the monthly winner in the mecu-backed Bendigo Advertiser-WIN Television Sports Star of the Year award.“We were hoping to have a good season, especially after last season.“The whole team had a good pre season and have put in a lot of work.“After we won one game, we just thought ‘ok let’s win another’ and we just went from there.”Bulley will join the Swifts in Sunday’s first semi- final against Adelaide Thunderbirds in Sydney.