Donegal trio among record-breaking Irish contingent in AFLW's ninth season

Three Donegal natives are set to appear in TG4’s coverage of this year’s AFLW season with the growing Irish influence in the league reaching record numbers this season in terms of Irish players. 

Donegal players Amy Boyle Carr (Adelaide Crows), Niamh McLaughlin (Gold Coast Suns), and Tanya Kennedy (Sydney Swans) are just three of a record-high 34 Irish players who will feature for 13 out of the 18 clubs as the ninth season begins on August 30 with the Grand Final commencing on November 30. 

The league ‘Down Under’ has gone from strength-to-strength since the first season began back in 2017 when Laura Duryea from Cavan played in a tournament that contained just eight teams, and ever since there has been Irish talent present. 

This year’s total of 34 players is one better than last season's, while five years ago in 2019 there were just five Irish players named across the 10 AFLW teams that took part. 

As of 2024, all 18 AFL clubs have a women’s team with reports from Australia claiming that the average wage a player from the AFLW makes will rise to $82,000 by the end of 2027. 

With the growing popularity of the sport, TG4 has confirmed it will once again air weekly matches and highlights from the upcoming Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) season. 

TG4 will provide coverage of two delayed matches each weekend, along with weekly highlights, as part of GAA 2024 on Monday evenings at 8pm. 

Mayo tops the list with six players, while Tipperary follows closely with five. A complete list of players can be found below. 

The AFL Aussie Rules na mBan begins this Saturday at 12:00pm with a clash between Essendon and Fremantle. 

In terms of the Donegal talent, McLaughlin made a very quick transition from the GAA ball to the oval-ball game, with the former LGFA Player of the Year playing 11 times in the AFLW scoring four goals before returning to Ireland to be a part of John McNulty’s new Donegal side. 

Elsewhere, for Tanya Kennedy and Sydney Swans, it was former AFL player and Irishman Colin O’Riordan who helped get Kennedy in the door at the club. In total she played 12 games, debuting in round one last season before extending her contract. 

For Glenties woman Amy Boyle Carr, this is her first season ‘Down Under’ as she and the Crows look to get their campaign off to a flying start with a showdown against Port Adelaide under lights at Alberton Oval on Saturday, August 31.