One way or another, Lauren McConville is determined to master the art of kicking the oval ball in Australian rules but having hit the ground running in pre-season training, the chances are that she will make the Sherrin talk before too long.
The Armagh Vice-Captain, who is a niece of Armagh legend Oisin McConville, has penned a one-year AFLW deal for the Gold Coast Suns and is hoping to be selected for the season opener at home to Saint Kilda on Saturday week.
The Crossmaglen star (29) has wasted no time in settling into her new surroundings 10,000 miles away from home on the sun-drenched Gold Coast where last week she made an impressive Suns debut in their 68-20 win over the Western Bulldogs in a practice match at People’s First Stadium.
McConville’s efforts earned the praised of her coaches who witnessed her ability to provide plenty of dash across half-forward.
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“I didn’t have a choice really, it was to kill or be killed,” McConville told The Irish News.
“So far so good.”
McConville isn’t a total Australian rules novice having first experienced the game five years ago when she played a couple of matches for the South Warnambool Roosters club in Victoria when she was travelling ‘Down Under’.
That positive experience coupled with the opportunity to play professionally alongside Irish teammates Niamh McLaughlin, Clara Fitzapatrick, and Cara McCrossan persuaded her to accept an offer from Gold Coast coach Cameron Joyce who attended Armagh’s league final win over Kerry earlier this year.
Joyce was made aware of McConville’s talent and potential availability through Ireland-based player agent and talent identifier, Mike Currane.
“Mike first contacted me two years ago, but I didn’t think anything would come of it, but this year he suggested I put my hand up for the AFLW Draft, which I did, so it turned it out to be great advice,” McConville said.
“I want to test myself in a professional environment and AFLW gives me that opportunity.
“It’s great having Niamh, Clara, and Cara here so that we are part of an Irish community at the Gold Coast Suns, and I can’t thank the club enough for helping me to settle into such a positive environment.”
McConville added: “From the first day I arrived my coaches have focused on positive messaging and although they have to pull me up if I do something that’s not quite right because of my inexperience there’s never any negativity with my learning.”
A self-confessed perfectionist, McConville’s definition of success for the 2024 season is to overcome her oval ball intimidation and help the Suns to reach the first AFLW Grand Final in the club’s history.
“I am definitely my own worst critic, and I am a perfectionist which drives me,” McConville explained.
“The oval ball is intimidating, and it’s not easy learning a different sport but my ambition is to develop a good understanding of AFLW and support my teammates who are all working hard to play in a Grand Final.
“To experience winning a premiership would be amazing.”
There are around three dozen Irish women on the books of AFLW clubs this year, which is a record, but there are no guarantees that the status quo will remain in the future.
New AFLW general manager Emma Moore recently stated that her immediate priority is to establish a concrete date for AFLW seasons from next year. The current schedule runs from August to November with last year’s Grand Final in early December.
Irish AFLW players have taken advantage of the opportunity to play in the GAA without any restrictions on their availability during AFLW off-seasons, but a potential change of date could result in the two codes clashing on the calendar.
McConville believes the impact on Irish players availability will depend on individual circumstances. She is keeping her options open about returning to Australia next year depending on her progress this season.
“If the seasons don’t complement each other on the calendar, some Irish women won’t play in AFLW but others will still come here,” she said.
“It will come down to personal circumstances and what’s right for individual players at different stages of their careers.”
As for Armagh, McConville can’t put a finger on the Orchard County’s failure to win an All-Ireland Ladies Championship in the past two seasons, but she will leave no stone unturned in her quest for glory next year.
“It gets more frustrating every year we don’t win it, but we only need some fine-tuning, to do better next year,” she said.
“We had injuries last season but that is no excuse. At the end of the day, we have fallen at the last hurdles and we need to rectify that next year.”
