NEW Dublin ladies’ football managers Paul Casey and Derek Murray will be without four-time All-Ireland winner Jennifer Dunne this year.
In 2023, Dunne became the only player in history to win an All-Ireland medal and an AFLW Premiership in the same year but this time around Brisbane Lions sources have told The Irish News that the Cuala midfielder is expected back in Queensland for the start of pre-season training in May.
The 2025 AFLW season kicks off two weeks earlier than last year on August 11 resulting in a direct crosscode clash with the All-Ireland ladies’ football finals.
Last year, the finals were staged in the first week of August and it now appears that gone are the days when Irish women could play ladies’ football during the AFLW off-season before heading Down Under at the end of August.
Dunne notched her 25th AFLW game in last year’s Grand Final defeat to North Melbourne and has since penned in a two-year contract extension until the end of 2026 with the Lions.
“Since coming to Australia, the girls, the coaching staff and the Club have been amazing at making me feel very connected and creating a second family for me,” Dunne said.
“We obviously have enjoyed a lot of success since I came onboard which has been fantastic but this group of girls make it so enjoyable coming into training especially on days when I’m missing home.
“I’m looking forward to what we can achieve over the next few seasons and even though we weren’t able to walk away with the result in this year’s Grand Final, I know this group is very motivated to get back to a position where we are contending again.”
In other AFLW news, Melbourne Demons list manager Todd Patterson is in Ireland recruiting players for the 2026 AFLW season and beyond.
Shane O’Neill’s and Armagh footballers Aimee and Blaithin Mackin are both Melbourne players.
Meanwhile, retired Portloaise legend Zach Tuohy- one of only four Irishman to win an AFL Premiership-has revealed he suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of his first son Flynn.
“I used to drive to training and then I’d pull in on the way back and just like cry in the car and get it all out and then go in and I’d be really short with her (Bec),” Tuohy, a Leinster Minor winner in 2007, explained.
“I feel bad about it, I feel awful about it now.
“It is not like I was the only one in it, in fact she was probably going through more so you carry a lot of guilt.”