LGFA hopeful dialogue with AFLW can facilitate players representing both codes

Michael Bolton

LGFA boss Lyn Savage says she hopes dialogue with Australian Football League officials can help facilitate a better arrangement for Irish players moving Down Under to play AFLW.

Large numbers of Irish footballers will be playing in the AFLW, with 44 Irish players currently on squad lists for the 2026 season, up from 39 last year.

Cork's Hannah Looney and Mayo's Saoirse Lally are among the players who have added to this ever-growing number.

The restructured AFLW season, with additional games and an earlier start on August 9th, has all but prevented most players from juggling both sports at this time of the year, as preseason in Australia starts well before the All-Ireland championship heats up.

An issue that is showing no signs of going away anytime soon, new LGFA chief executive Savage is hopeful that, in the future, players will be able to play for their county before heading to Australia.

"We don’t want to have players caught in the middle of this.

“I’m sure that a lot of those girls would love to be donning their county jerseys, so there’s an onus on us to keep that communication open now to see if we can work together.”

The recent announcement of an AFLW game with Australian players taking on their Irish counterparts has actually increased the dialogue between the two organisations.

The LGFA insist the match, played in the North Sydney Oval on August 1st, the day before the All-Ireland finals at Croke Park, is not an International Rules fixture, with the game being organised entirely by the AFLW.

“[We have] nothing to do with, it is completely based on a preseason game of AFL," said Savage.

“It's the Irish players over there already playing against an Australian selection, but it has allowed us to open communication with the AFL.

“We’d love to have all those players here, but we are an amateur sport, we can’t pay our players. We’re working really hard on player expenses and other improvements over the last number of years - our biggest thing is to work to make sure we create the best environment possible for girls to play and to strive to keep them in their county jerseys.”

A big story of the 2026 season is the rule changes, with several previously seen in the men's game last year.

This includes the kick-out mark, the two-point scoring arc, the requirement to keep three players in the opposition half at all times, the solo and go, and frees being brought forward for tactical fouling or dissent from the sideline.

Having been appointed as CEO in March, Savage said it was a major milestone to announce the details of this year's championship in Croke Park on Tuesday.

“I was at the provincial finals over the last few weekends, and the new rules have brought an air of excitement; the players have just got a real buzz from them.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but I suppose the fact that I’m 18 years in ladies’ football, that has benefited me.

“When I played, I just absolutely loved the sport. It’s great to be working in a sport that you absolutely love and believe in.”