Wests Tigers will welcome Kezie Apps back from a leg injury when they meet Canberra in their first NRLW final at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Friday.
"She's the heart and soul of the Tigers team here, so it's great to get her back," back-rower Shenai Lendill told AAP.
The Tigers finished last in the previous two seasons but have transformed under Craig Sandercock, who arrived in the off-season with 13 new players.
"We're making history ... 'Sandy' has a lot of belief in us," Lendill said.
Canberra beat Wests 22-10 last Friday, with five-eighth Krystal Blackwell and halfback Zahara Temara forming a dangerous combination.
Blackwell's place in the historic match reflects her own journey. She moved to Goulburn as a teenager after Maddy Tooth invited her to try league.
"I had never played rugby league," Blackwell told AAP.
Now a Canberra mainstay after joining from North Queensland, Blackwell said the team's strong off-field connection was evident during matches.
Lendill remains confident despite two late-season defeats, including a 58-0 loss to Gold Coast in round 10.
The winner will reach a first preliminary final, while Apps' return strengthens a Tigers side chasing its own breakthrough.