TG4 have announced they will be broadcasting weekly matches and highlights from the Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) season.
The competition, which is set to begin next weekend, will include 14 teams over 12 weekends, with the grand final scheduled for April.
An agreement between the broadcaster and the Australian Football League (AFL) will see deferred coverage each weekend beginning on Saturday, January 30th at 5.10pm.
Irish audiences will be particularly interested as 14 Irish women line-out this season, including Mayo's Cora Staunton (Greater Western Sydney Giants) and Sarah Rowe (Collingwood), Dublin's Sinéad Goldrick, Niamh McEvoy and Lauren Magee (all Melbourne FC) and Clare's Ailish Considine (Adelaide Crows).
Cork's Bríd Stack was also due to feature this season but suffered a serious neck fracture last weekend during an AFL pre-season match against the Adelaide Crows.
Devastated but counting my blessings. Looking forward to rehab once cleared to do so. For now, hup the drugs 🙌 Thanks for all the lovely messages, to all involved with @GWSGIANTS, to the exemplary healthcare staff in Adelaide & to a little man whose hugs make everything better🧡 pic.twitter.com/E5AFQm2mbw
Advertisement— Bríd Stack (@BridStackie) January 20, 2021
Stack has since been released from hospital, sharing a picture of Twitter of her in a neck brace, saying she is now waiting to be cleared to start rehab, thanking her team, GWS Giants and the healthcare staff in Adelaide.
The NAB AFL Women's competition, which is semi-professional, has gone from strength to strength since its first season in 2017, in which eight teams competed for the title, before expanding to 10 teams in 2019.
AFL Head of Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said she was pleased with the announcement and looked forward to the NAB AFL Women’s Competition being broadcast in Ireland.
“We are proud to expand the AFLW broadcast to Ireland, a significant announcement for Australian Football given the impact Irish footballers have had on the NAB AFL Women’s Competition.
“It is great to know that their family and friends back home will be able to watch them in action this season," Ms Livingstone said.
