Mayo star set for Aussie Rules debut
Saoirse Lally
Former Mayo Ladies captain Saoirse Lally will make her AFLW debut this weekend for St Kilda just 15 weeks after being drafted.
Kobe McDonald was among the three Irish men’s players at the club who had the honour of breaking the news, along with Meath’s Eamonn Armstrong and Liam O’Connell from Cork.
Lally made the move from her native Westport in May after being selected with pick number seven in the 2026 AFLW Pre-Season Draft.
“Saoirse’s ability to read the play, alongside her natural skills and aerobic capacity, has been a pleasure to watch develop over the past few months,” Head of Development and Assistant Coach Matthew Brewer said.
“She’s had a fantastic pre-season since arriving, and it’s a testament to her work ethic and the hours she’s put in that she’s been able to make the transition from Gaelic football to AFLW look so seamless.
“We can’t wait to see her take this opportunity with both hands. We know all her teammates will have her back when she runs out against Geelong this weekend.” Lally admitted she was shocked at the news.
“I was honestly so shocked when I found out. Liam, Eamonn and Kobe broke the news to me and at first I didn’t even realise they were talking about me,” Lally said.
“I can’t wait to run out there with the girls this weekend. Everyone at the club has been so supportive since I arrived and has put so much time into helping me learn the game. I’m just really grateful to everyone who’s helped me get to this point.”
