O'Dowd thrilled by personalised jerseys for historic Australia and Ireland AFLW clash
Ireland to take on Australia in historic AFLW international clash in Sydney on Saturday at 7.15 am Irish time
As Ireland prepare for an historic AFLW clash with Australia in the early hours of Saturday morning, Ballinamore’s Eilish O’Dowd described the news that Ireland’s jerseys will have the names of the 25 players on the back as “super special”.
Speaking to Emily Patterson of AFL.com.au ahead of Saturday’s historic clash at the North Sydney Oval, the former Leitrim and Dublin player said that the named jerseys were a lovely memento for the players to have: “It's a nice touch to have. It'll be a lovely memento for the future to look back on.
“You might not feel it now, but in a couple of years we'll look back and realise how big of a deal this was – to make the team and be the first to represent Ireland in AFLW. To have our names on the back is super special.”
The Ireland and Australia AFLW International will be shown live on the TG4 Player and TG4.ie from 7am with deferred coverage on TG4 from 12.05 pm.
Described as an ‘utility player’, O’Dowd joins 25 of Ireland’s top players currently playing in the AFLW with Greater Western Sydney Giants teammate Grace Kos, who also plays for Dublin, added to the squad in place of another player with Dublin and Leitrim links, Sinead Goldrick.
“I’m absolutely delighted Grace was called up. We're very lucky to have great depth on this team. It's next player up, and Grace will be fantastic. It'll be lovely to run out with her. Grace has so many incredible talents. Her strengths are her tackling and defence. She's a really sticky tagger as well, so we might see her doing a bit of that at the weekend.
“But also, her run and carry. The girls here hate to see the two of us come running up the field together because we kind of have that instinctive play where we know where the next player is going to be.”
The Ballinamore woman also paid tribute to former GWS Giants and Mayo legend Cora Staunton who is part of the Irish management team: “Cora was the first, and I think she set the tone. She was the first person Alan McConnell)brought in, and that just kind of led to all the rest of the Irish players coming over.
“So, it's special that she's on our board of selectors as well, and she's obviously had a big week with Mayo, being from Mayo as well. She's left a massive legacy at the club here. All the girls love her and can't wait to see her again.”