Former Mayo player named on AFLW All-Australian team

Former Mayo player Niamh Kelly was one of 11 debutants named on this year's AFLW All-Australian team.

Kelly has been recognised for breakout performances this year for her club, Adelaide Crows, becoming just the second Irish player ever to win an AFLW All-Australian award.

The team was announced at the 2023 W Awards in Melbourne last night (Monday).

Last year, Tipperary dual star Orla O'Dwyer became the first Irish woman to earn a selection in what is the Aussie Rules equivalent of the All Stars.

Kelly (28), a Moy Davitts club person, averaged 18.9 disposals, 2.2 tackles and 4.3 marks across 10 games during the AFLW season.

After moving to Adelaide in the summer of 2022 from West Coast Eagles, Kelly had surgery on a dislocated shoulder at the start of this year but took the great form she showed in pre-season into the AFLW campaign.

“I have just really been enjoying my footy this year,” Kelly told the Adelaide Football Club website recently.

“In the off-season I put a lot of work into trying to get my skills up to scratch, getting my shoulder strong after surgery and getting my fitness strong for the season ahead.

“Usually in my offseason I would go back home to Ireland, so last year I decided to stay out (in Australia), do my rehab and work hard with the coaches.”

The former Mayo player, with five seasons under her belt now, said earlier in the season that she is learning more about the game all the time.

“I was quite new for the first three seasons, and then had a new team last season, so I'm learning more and more. I've got the best people to be learning from, and every day I'm learning something new,” she told the AFL official website in September.

Meanwhile, three of Kelly's Adelaide team-mates were also recognised for their outstanding 2023 AFLW campaigns, namely Ebony Marinoff, Chelsea Biddell and Danielle Ponter.

Adelaide head of women’s football, Phil Harper, said having four players selected on the final 21, the most of any team in the competition, was a testament to the depth of the squad.

He stated: “We are very proud of Niamh, Ebony, Chelsea and Danielle for their efforts this season. Their inclusion in the All-Australian team is a great honour and well-deserved recognition of their hard work.

“One of our strengths this season has been the even contribution from all our players, which is evident in four selections.”

Elsewhere, Emma Kearney was named in the AFLW All-Australian team for the eighth time in as many seasons. The North Melbourne captain has led her side's surge to a maiden Grand Final as a rebounding defender, recording the fourth-most intercepts across the AFLW in the process. No other player has been named in every AFLW All-Australian team to date.

The other players selected are: Emma O'Driscoll (Fremantle), Charlotte Thomas (West Coast Eagles), Eilish Sheerin (Richmond), Monique Conti (Richmond), Sophie Conway (Brisbane Lions), Ally Morphett (Sydney Swans), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Chole Molloy (Sydney Swans), Kate Hore (Melbourne), Bonnie Toogood (Essendon), Dakota Davidson (Brisbane Lions), Charlie Rowbottom (Gold Coast Suns), Eden Zanker (Melbourne), Ally Anderson (Brisbane Lions), Ash Riddell (North Melbourne) and Laura Gardiner (Sydney Swans).