Ailish Considine (Adelaide/Clare)
In very select company as one of only two Gaelic Games recruits to taste ultimate success, following in the footsteps of Tadhg Kennelly when winning a Premiership medal in her debut season with the Crows in 2019.
Like her older sister, Irish rugby international Eimear Considine, Ailish played ladies’ football and camogie with Clare but the 28-year-old opted not to line out for the Banner in the recent Winter Games, preferring to focus on being prepared for the impending campaign, which got under way against West Coast earlier today.
Aileen Gilroy (North Melbourne/Mayo)
Gilroy’s relish for the physical nature of the game would have come as little surprise to ladies’ football followers, and her work as a personal trainer ensured conditioning would not be a problem.
This, after all, is a player who severed her cruciate knee ligament in 2014 and after damaging it again, played for two years without surgery, including in the 2017 All-Ireland final, before hearing the dreaded pop once more in the 2018 quarter-final. She was back in the fold the following season, however.
Like her Mayo compatriot Sarah Rowe, she played underage soccer for the Republic of Ireland.
Makes the trip to Geelong tomorrow morning Irish-time.
Sinéad Goldrick (Melbourne/Dublin)
One of the leaders of the all-conquering Dublin squad that has claimed All-Ireland honours for the last four seasons, ‘Goldie’ actually received the first of her seven All-Stars back in 2012 at midfield.
The 30-year-old has set the standard as both a tight-marking and attacking wing-back in ladies’ football and hit the ground running when making her debut in the AFLW last year.
Melbourne got going against the Suns this morning, though having only started training this week, Goldrick’s involvement may be delayed.
Grace Kelly (West Coast/Mayo)
Joined the Eagles last year along with her younger sister Niamh.
Shone in what was expected to be a difficult maiden campaign for the new franchise, the memorable first win secured against the champions of two years previously, the Bulldogs, confirmed with a Kelly six-pointer.
A medial knee ligament injury required surgery and brought her season to a premature end, though Covid-19 would have done that anyway.
A long-established attacker with Mayo, Kelly played in the 2017 All-Ireland final. West Coast played host to Adelaide at Mineral Resources Park this morning.
Niamh Kelly (West Coast/Mayo)
Pacey and athletic, Kelly can expect to be utilised as either a counter-attacking half-back, breaking the lines from deep, or as a marauding midfielder.
Mayo captain in 2019, the 25-year-old also played in the All-Ireland two years previously but missed this year’s campaign with a hamstring injury.
Back at full tilt now, she will be keen to lay down a marker against the Crows this morning.
Lauren Magee (Melbourne/Dublin)
Her style of play marked her out as an obvious target for AFLW scouts.
Combines durability with strength and a no-nonsense approach to her endeavours.
Another four-in-a-row winner with the Dubs, Magee provides plenty of go-forward for the Sky Blues but just as importantly, is a willing worker who enjoys putting out fires wherever they may break out.
Joins her fellow Dubs Sinéad Goldrick and Niamh McEvoy at a club where the late Jim Stynes and Seán Wight are revered.
Aisling McCarthy (West Coast/Tipperary)
The first non-Australian player to switch franchises, McCarthy has joined the Kelly siblings in Perth after two terms with Western Bulldogs.
Key to the decision was the opportunity to shadow the physiotherapy department with a view to furthering her own off-field career, but having a couple of other Irish accents around came a close second.
A star of Tipperary’s All-Ireland intermediate victories of 2017 and 2019, McCarthy captained her club Cahir to an All-Ireland intermediate club camogie title in 2016, just three months after losing the football decider by two points.
The 24-year-old certainly settled in well with her new Eagles teammates and blasted three goals in the opening quarter of their first pre-season game against Fremantle. Made her competitive debut against Adelaide this morning.
Niamh McEvoy (Melbourne/Dublin)
McEvoy’s basketball experience at Malahide Community School has been on show for a number of years in ladies’ football and translated very well to Aussie Rules in terms of fielding and the accuracy of her handballs.
Another four-in-a-row winner, who got an All-Star nod in 2019.
Like her Dublin colleagues, the 30-year-old was late on the training paddock but the previous experience might give her and Goldrick an advantage over newbie Magee in a bid to be involved against Gold Coast.
Orla O’Dwyer (Brisbane/Tipperary)
A dual star who has won two All-Ireland intermediate titles with Tipp in football and captained the Premier in camogie, O’Dwyer is a phenomenal athlete whose contributions improved as her debut season in the AFLW evolved in 2020.
Still only 22, O’Dwyer surprised many when she departed for Brisbane while Tipp were still involved in the camogie championship, and she watched their semi-final defeat to Galway from Queensland.
That is an indication of the Cashel star’s desire to rocket from the stalls for the Lions when they go to Richmond’s Swinburne Centre tomorrow.
Sarah Rowe (Collingwood/Mayo)
A talented soccer player who was a member of the Republic of Ireland squad that reached the semi-finals of the European U18 Championships in 2014.
Rowe went on to win the league and cup double at domestic level with Shelbourne.
Ladies’ football is the 25-year-old’s first love, however, and the Kilmoremoy sharpshooter created a considerable impression as Mayo reached the All-Ireland in 2017.
She attracted the attention of six AFLW clubs before plumping for the Pies in 2019 and has scored seven goals in 14 games.
She missed Thursday’s opening-round victory over hotpots Carlton with what was described as a “minor shoulder injury” and should be back in the fold for the Round 2 tie against Gold Coast next Saturday.
Aishling Sheridan (Collingwood/Cavan)
Kicked the opening goal of the new term and finished with two to propel the Pies to that shock defeat of Carlton, establishing their Premiership credentials in the process.
The Breffni woman is reaping the rewards of spending a season in the VFL State League to get to grips with Aussie rules and advertise her wares. Her physicality has earned plenty of plaudits.
Kicked two goals in seven outings in her debut season but has burst out of the traps this time around in a squad capable of challenging for honours for the first time.
Cora Staunton (GWS/Mayo)
The first ladies’ footballer to be recruited directly from Ireland. Four times an All-Ireland winner with Mayo with a further six Celtic Crosses accumulated in Carnacon colours.
Made an instant impact with the Giants and has accumulated 19 goals in 21 games over three seasons.
Recovered from a horrific injury (two fractures of the tibia, one in her fibula and an ankle break) to play in th last Covid-shortened campaign and remains a key player for Al McConnell’s crew at 39 as they get their season under way early tomorrow morning Irish- time against Fremantle.
Áine Tighe (Fremantle/Leitrim)
Perhaps the unluckiest drafted player in the League.
The 28-year-old Kiltubrid ace played no part in what should have been her debut season in 2020, when suffering her second cruciate knee ligament injury the wee before its scheduled commencement.
She impressed everyone at the Dockers with her commitment to her recovery and was earning rave reviews with her fitness and form in the ruck when the knee gave way again just over a fortnight ago.
- TG4 5:10pm
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