But the Southern Steel defender took a step back from her other love — farming — earlier this year to commit herself fully to a fresh start with new players and coaches at the franchise.
It gave her a chance to push herself to grow as much as she could through the preseason.
But now that is behind her, Lawson is finding the time to get back on the farm in the early morning before she heads off to trainings.
"I’ve probably been using my rest days to probably go farming a little bit more because that fills my cup more than fully not doing anything on my days off," Lawson said.
Her husband manages a sheep and beef farm — with a scattering of deer and crops for good measure — outside of Balfour and helping out gives Lawson an outlet away from sport.
"It’s quite good to have that balance.
"Something completely different that I can go and do, or hang out with different people that netball’s not their major or key focus, and they don’t want to drill you on the game.
"They just want to talk about the weather or something else completely different — it’s quite nice."
Lawson is part of the Steel’s leadership group this season and at the age of 28 she is now the oldest in the team.
She enjoys the irony, having originally joined the Steel as a teenager when her now coach, Wendy Frew, was still playing in her 30s.
"For me to be the oldest in the team this year at 28 is kind of a little bit scary," Lawson said, laughing.
"I’m like holy moly, maybe it’s time for me to retire at 28. But it’s really refreshing having all the younger girls and all the older ones that are still obviously here as well.
"It just merges us all together."
She has new personnel alongside her in the defence end this season in Carys Stythe, Khayne’-Lii Munro-Nonoa, who is a replacement player, and Dakota Thomas, who is still sidelined with injury.
Working with new players added variety and they all brought something different, which helped change up their game.
"Having Carys, who’s probably a taller goalkeeper than I have usually played with . . . it’s quite nice to have that height in behind me, and that security of knowing that she will definitely be able to get up and contest a lot more of those high balls that we probably wouldn’t have when it was a shorter defence circle," Lawson said.
The Steel will meet the Northern Stars for the first time this afternoon in Auckland and both teams have a record of one win and four losses.
The two have had some big clashes through the years and Lawson expected the same today.
The Stars have a physical shooting circle, and playa space marking defensive style, and have also been putting up the two-pointers to keep them in the game.
"I honestly think anything could happen.
"I think it’s going to be a fierce battle with us having both not played each other yet.
"It’s the unknown of what’s going to happen really, but I feel like we’ve trained hard this week and we’re ready to go."
Stars defender Kate Burley has been ruled out of the rest of the season with a foot injury.
The Auckland team named their assistant coach, and former Stars defender, Leana de Bruin, on the bench last week as cover.
ANZ Premiership
4pm, Auckland
Southern Steel: Aliyah Dunn, Georgia Heffernan, Summer Temu, Serina Daunakamakama, Kimiora Poi, Renee Savai’inaea, Kate Heffernan, Carys Stythe, Abby Lawson, Khayne’-Lii Munro-Nonoa.
Northern Stars: Charlie Bell, Maia Wilson, Monica Falkner, Tori Kolose, Mila Reueli-Buchanan, Samon Nathan, Lisa Mather, Lili Tokaduaduda, Remi Kamo, Kayla Johnson.
