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Donegal's Yvonne Bonner flying high with the Crows as Adelaide prepare for AFLW semi-final

Yvonne Bonner will line out for Adelaide Crows against a Sydney Swans team which features fellow Donegal woman Tanya Kennedy Picture: Adelaide Crows
Yvonne Bonner will line out for Adelaide Crows against a Sydney Swans team which features fellow Donegal woman Tanya Kennedy Picture: Adelaide Crows
By AHMER KHOKHAR

There are no second chances for Yvonne Bonner in the AFLW final series this weekend. 

The Donegal forward will be in the Adelaide Crows starting line-up in Saturday’s semi-final against the Sydney Swans at Norwood Oval in Adelaide. 

The Crows claimed the minor premiership when they finished top of the regular season ladder last month but they were brought crashing back down to earth last week when they lost their qualifying final to their bogey side the Brisbane Lions. 

North Melbourne, who will have the benefit of a fortnight’s rest, lie in wait for the winner but for the losers the curtain will come down on season 2023.

Donegal native Tanya Kennedy is in the Swans starting 16, ensuring that Donegal will be represented in the preliminary finals.

Read more: Donegal's Tanya Kennedy helps Sydney Swans take a step closer to unlikely AFLW Grand final appearance

Yvonne Bonner with her daughter Brid Picture: Adelaide Crows
Yvonne Bonner with her daughter Brid Picture: Adelaide Crows

Bonner played 11 AFLW games across two seasons at the Greater Western Giants in 2019 and 2020, before the global Covid-19 pandemic and residency restrictions ruled her out of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, which she spent back home in Donegal. 

The tenacious forward booted almost a goal a game for GWS in her debut season before breaking down with a serious ankle injury after only four games in 2020. 

This time around, she has slotted seamlessly back into AFLW for the Crows, and proved she has plenty left in the tank at the age of 36. 

“I always kept my fitness up and I understood the game from playing it previously, so I wasn’t just standing there looking for someone to do something before I reacted,” Bonner explained. 

“It was an easy enough transition to the Crows, and they are such an elite and professional set-up. 

“It is easy to play with such great players around you.” 

Bonner has formed a close friendship with Mayo footballer Niamh Kelly. The pair barely spoke when they were on opposite sides in the Gaelic football, but now they are almost inseparable both on and off the field. 

“When I first landed a lot of the girls asked if we know each other before (from Ireland) and we were like 'no we just knew of each other from playing against each other',” Bonner said. 

“But we get along so well, we have her over for dinner and she has us over for dinner and she has shown us around Adelaide. 

“It has just been great having that person from home and settling us in Adelaide.” 

Bonner is determined to make up for lost time and win the first AFLW premiership of her career with her new team.  If it's not to be this year, she will try again in season 2024.

“The season (2020) ended pretty quickly, and I was hoping to get back after the injury if the season had continued on,” Bonner said.

“When I returned home, it was always in the back of my mind, would it (playing AFLW) ever happen again? 

“I just asked the question, and it worked out, and the Crows wanted to sign me. 

“There were a lot of things that needed to line up, but here I am, I’m very grateful it all worked out.”