Niamh McLaughlin isn’t fazed by the challenge of stepping into the unknown if she makes her AFLW debut for the Gold Coast Suns away to Carlton in Melbourne on Saturday.
The former Donegal captain, who was last season’s LGFA Senior Player of the Year and an Allstar winner, has only three weeks of pre-season training under her belt in sunny Queensland, but she is confident of making an impact this season.
“I caught the tail end of pre-season training, about three weeks or so, but the transition has been easy because everyone at the club has been so welcoming,” McLaughlin told the Irish News.
“It’s not just pre-season, the whole season is a learning process, but I’ve played in a couple of practice matches and I am feeling confident for the season ahead.”
McLaughlin, who turns 30 on Thursday, believes adjusting to tackling is the biggest challenge that confronts her in the professional world of AFLW. The multi-talented footballer, who represented the Republic of Ireland soccer team at U17 and U19 level, and also played for Newcastle and Sunderland, will start at half back for her new club. It’s same position that Tyrone’s Conor McKenna has made his own for the Brisbane Lions.
“The game back home is getting more physical, but in Australian Rules it’s the tackling that is the biggest difference,” McLaughlin said.
“The good thing is that being a half-back in defence, you can see the whole pitch up ahead, so I think it’s a position that suits Gaelic players because we like running up the pitch.”
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There were two main reasons why McLaughlin made the decision to sign for The Gold Coast Suns. The first was to experience life as a professional sportswoman and the second to help her new club play finals for the first time in their history.
The Suns finished just outside the finals spots last year with a five win and five loss season record. The challenge of converting some of those losses into wins and challenging the best sides is driving the Donegal star this year.
“The girls back home put in a lot of work and commitment to Gaelic football,” she said.
“Our sport is amateur, so the opportunity to live as a professional, is very appealing.
“My ultimate goal is to help Gold Coast make finals.
“The club wasn’t too far away last year and I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping them to improve.
“There are big similarities with both Gaelic and Australian Rules.
“Everyone wants to get that one per centbetter and to make a difference."
McLaughlin’s transition to Australian Rules has also been made easier by Down star Ciara Fitzpatrick, who made the move from Saint Kilda in the off-season, and Cara McCrossan the third Irish import on Gold Coast’s books.
In her own words, McLaughlin was “a little daunted” when she first arrived at Heritage Bank Stadium but always a quick learner, she has adopted a relaxed mindset to help her deal with the challenges of her debut season in AFLW.
“I think as you get older you get a wee bit more relaxed and learn not to be too hard on yourself,” McLaughlin said.
“There are transferable skills from Gaelic to the Australian Rules so I am going to relax, enjoy my football, and benefit from the help of my teammates and coaches.”
McLaughlin believes that Donegal are in transitional phase but have a bright future ahead with a talented crop of young players coming through despite being relegated from Division One of the Ladies Football League after their loss to Mayo in Letterkenny.
“Donegal ladies are in good place,” she said.
“They won the Ulster Senior Ladies Football Final and came out of the All-Ireland group as top seeds.
“It was disappointing to be relegated but it’s a transitional phase for the county and there is a group of very talented young players coming through who will make a fresh start next year.”
