Tipperary trio seal deals to join AFLW ranks

Tipperary trio Aishling Moloney, Anna Rose Kennedy and Niamh Martin have all joined AFLW outfits ahead of the 2023 season.

Moloney and Kennedy have joined Geelong Cats while Martin has linked up with Vikki Wall and Erika O’Shea at North Melbourne.

Geelong captain Meghan McDonald and coach Dan Lowther were in Ireland this week to meet the Tipperary duo. They already have one Irish representative, Mayo’s Rachel Kearns. There are also three Irish players on the club’s AFL list, Zach Tuohy of Laois, Kerry’s Mark O’Connor and Mayo rookie Oisin Mullin.

“Aishling and Anna Rose are very talented Gaelic footballers, and we’re thrilled that they’ve chosen Geelong as their new home away from home,” said Head of AFLW and Football Pathways Brett Johnson.

“Aishling is well credentialled in the GAA, and we believe she will adapt well as a mobile tall forward in the AFLW.

“Anna Rose is an exciting young prospect who brings plenty of pace, and we see her slotting in either with our defence or as another option on the wing.

"Both players will finish out their season with Tipperary before making the move to Australia.

“Both Aishling and Anna Rose are fantastic people and athletes, and we’re looking forward to them joining our AFLW program for the season ahead."

Meanwhile, North Melbourne football performance and talent manager Rhys Harwood said they were thrilled to secure Martin.

"Niamh’s performances for Tipperary have been outstanding. She has a high level of speed and agility, and her ability to break the lines and take the game forward stood out to us. Importantly, she also plays with a competitive edge.

"Her attributes will be very valuable for us on field, and her professionalism and high performance standards will be a big asset for our entire program. As soon as we met Niamh, we felt she would be a fantastic fit for our club, and we can’t wait to have her involved."

The number of Irish recruits for 2023 could break an unprecedented 30 next week after the AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft. Several Irish prospects have nominated as International Players.