Orla O’Dwyer has become the first Irish woman to be named on the AFLW All-Australian team of the year.
The Tipperary star was a powerful presence in the Brisbane Lions team for a second year in a row and, on the back of her performances, was among the 21 players who were given the distinguished honour.
O’Dwyer was named in midfield on the team and, with her season coming to a disappointing end last weekend, when the Lions lost to North Melbourne in the preliminary final, this comes as a consolation, albeit a deserving one. That’s because, as a key midfielder for her team, the Cashel woman kicked six goals and made a huge overall impact on the League.
O’Dwyer is the first Irish female to make the team but back in 1993, the great Jim Stynes earned the equivalent honour in the men’s game for his displays with the Melbourne Demons.
Congratulations to all the players named in the 2022 AFLW All-Australian team led by Emma Kearney and Hayley Miller 👏#AFLWAwards | #AFLW pic.twitter.com/i9ElV47mWo
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) April 5, 2022
It was a great night for O’Dwyer but Cora Staunton, on the other hand, can feel aggrieved that she was named on the team. The 40-year-old Mayo woman kicked an incredible 18 goals for her Greater Western Sydney Giants side but, in a frustrating development that saw midfielders shoehorned into the team as forwards, Staunton missed out.
Former Dublin footballer and International Rules player Niamh McEvoy was among those who criticised the decsision, the St Sylvester’s club-woman asking the if the Aussies only wanted one Irish player on the team. Because, having scored 18 goals in just ten games for one of the League’s worst clubs, you’d have imagined that Staunton had done enough.
Shocked Cora was snubbed,, that headbanger scores when she wants! She hands down should have nabbed that centre half forward spot. Was it a case of only one Irish person getting the nod or have GWS upset someone they shouldn’t have 😅?? https://t.co/PVyPH07LzR
— Niamh McEvoy (@NiamhoMc) April 5, 2022
The only trend of All-Australian teams that really irks me is pushing midfielders into the forward line. Especially when it means someone like Cora Staunton – who kicked 18 goals for a bottom six club – gets shoved out of the team. https://t.co/Uueu4Vm3f1
— Callum (@C14OConnor) April 5, 2022
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