AISLING MCCARTHY has made a switch to Fremantle Dockers from West Coast Eagles in the AFLW.
The Tipperary star was part of a trade between the clubs, with Roxy Roux going the other way as well as a higher Draft pick.
McCarthy moves Fremantle clear as the side with the most Irish players, with Áine Tighe (Leitrim), Orlagh Lally (Meath), Amy Mulholland (Armagh) and Joanne Cregg (Roscommon) all representing the Dockers in 2023.
The 27-year-old midfielder/forward has enjoyed a colourful AFLW career thus far, playing 43 games across six seasons. Her last four campaigns were at West Coast, where she established herself as a real leader, having previously played for Western Bulldogs.
Indeed, that 2020 switch saw her become the first Irishwoman — and first non-Australian — to move AFLW clubs.
“For people back home, it is very alien to transfer teams,” McCarthy told The 42 at the time. “It’s completely different, it’s not something that you do in Gaelic football at all.
“You play with your club you grew up with all your life and if you get the opportunity to play for your county, that’s who you play for until you retire. It happens in other sports like soccer and rugby, but with my Gaelic football roots, it’s a little bit different.”
New chapter 💜⚓️ Excited to get to work @freodockersAFLW 👊🏻
— Aisling McCarthy (@aish_mac) December 8, 2023
Thank you to @eaglesaflw for an incredible 4 years, grateful for everyone at the club and all my teammates 💙 https://t.co/8Jky7maIY4
Now, the two-time All-Ireland intermediate winner is set for a new chapter and again etches her name into history as the first Irishwoman to play at three AFLW clubs.
“We’re really excited about bringing Aish into the Club,” Freo AFLW Football Operations Manager Darryn Fry said.
“She’s been a player of interest over a period of time and we’ve watched her really closely.
She’s a powerful player who is very versatile in her role. She’s played inside mid, has the capacity to play forward and kick goals and we believe she will be a real asset to our group.
“Aish is also well connected with our existing Irish players, so we feel coming into the Freo family will be really seamless for her.”
It could be a busy few days for Irish players Down Under with the AFLW Trade Period opening yesterday and closing next Thursday, 14 December.
A record 33 players from these shores lined out in the 2023 competition, with Orla O’Dwyer (Tipperary) and Jennifer Dunne (Dublin) reigning supreme with Brisbane Lions.
Fckin animals ruining it for everyone
Hope the Euros arent remembered for this sort of stuff.
typical spineless uefa
Small minded morans. They should be banned from attending any matches.
I heard fifa/ueafa is trying hard to kick racism out of soccer…why did you game a country with a history like that to host a tournament…thats screw up…
Money talks i will say..
What you mean by ” a country with such a history ” ? Are you racist ?
So mr fedex are you saying is ok for football fans to chant names and abuse players,poland and ukraine are not racist countries but the football fans are a disgrace to the countries…
Get the testicle biting dogs in amongst the nobs.
They obviously didn’t see the series that Ross Kemp did on football hooligans a couple of years ago. In Ukraine it’s even worse and I’m afraid that this whole event could be marred by hooliganism and some blatant corruption in Ukraine. I’m no great follower of soccer or rugby but I always give a wry smile when I see rugby fans having a beer and while watching the game and then socialising with the opposing team afterwards. Try doing that with soccer and you would get a full scale riot!
I’d imagine that someone will have to die before Uefa or Fifa act. All they care about is money. They come out now and admit there’s a potentially huge issue with racism at this tournament and sponsors walk, with their money of course. And we couldn’t be having that :)
I suspect the ultras will relish these opportunities to spread their hate… Will take a team to walk off the pitch to make uefa act …
Hear no evil, see no evil. UEFA unfortunately could seriously regret holding the tournament in Poland/Ukraine. Wait until Poland play Russia, there will be blood on the streets, no question. This could be the biggest own goal in UEFAs history.
BBC Panorama did a documentary on hooligans in Ukraine a couple of weeks back that showed training camps where they were taught hand to hand combat and how to use knives. You also have to factor in that most of these thugs have at least one years compulsory military service behind them. Throw in some not so distant history and I would say that your assessment of blood on the streets will be borne out. If I was a local I’d board up my house and head for the hills sharpish.
@Brian Ward. I saw it, frightening. Also reportedly, Polish hooligans have made a pact with their Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian counterparts at a “meeting” in Gdansk to join forces to take on the Russians and Germans for “historical” reasons. The football could be a sideshow yet.
This is just the beginning. Get ready for the Daily Hate british media going nuts everyday of the euros. They will bring up and make up all sorts of stuff. They have got their teeth in to this now and they wont let go. Anyway ‘kick racism out of football’. Sickening this continues to go on. Uneducated minority of moronic pigs trying to ruin everything.
Perhaps you could show the way by not hating on the British.
I dont hate the brittish just their media.
To be fair it’s not like English fans have covered themselves in glory over the years. The police have already issued 2,000+ travel ban orders to stop potential hooligans travelling. Even though it’s only a small minority they tarnish their nation and the true English fans with their racist chants and violence. Begrudgy is right in saying that the British press will make the most of it, it will sell newspapers and that is all that they are interested in.
last week one of the major television stations showed an interesting documentary about the stadiums for Euro 2012 could it be another of GREAT JOB…
damocles he said brittish media not brittish people there is a huge difference..
I think we all expected this. Surprise, surprise, the local police are too busy talking smack about the English fans and not doing enough to discipline the local crowd.
Gavin with all due respect I think the Irish would be better on their own. I know I will be accused of stereo typing but the English fans record speaks for itself.
The hooligan groups have said England are also targets. So wear the Green jersey lads!
This for me is the biggest worry for Irish fans. They have been called legitimate targets by polish football firms. I urge all fans going to Poland to be careful. It is not safe there.
Stick together. Not only with the Irish crowd but with the English.
Damn Crackers!!!!
Poland and Ukraine need diversity. Diversity will enrich there lives and make them more tolerant. White people are just so backwards. Ukraine and Poland, whether they like it or not, are going to become multi-racial countries. There is nothing they can do to stop it. It will make them better people and improve their countries.
Interesting logic. Funny, if your post was in reverse it could be deemed as “racist” by the “right on” brigade. I dont think diversity will honestly solve this problem. They are unfortunately where the rest of European Football was in the 70s/80s so they are a long way off addressing the problem by my calculations…