Long time AFLW coach Craig Starcevich has expressed significant excitement about the prospect of Australia facing off with Ireland on August 1.
The three time AFLW coach of the year winner was recently announced as the senior assistant coach of the Irish side which will be made up of the best Irish talent in the AFLW.
There are 46 Irish players currently listed, with a squad having been selected for the match and to be announced in due course.
“I'm excited – everyone who watches AFLW understand the speed and skill the Irish players bring to the game and the athleticism and that will be there in spades,” Starcevich told Zero Hanger.
The North Sydney Oval clash is the first representative AFLW clash since a one-off game between Victoria and the Allies in 2017, the first season of AFLW, and unlike men's international rules matches, the game will be an Australian rules football match using a Sherrin.
“As a spectacle it's really exciting. If you're an Irish expat living in Australia right now or in and around Sydney on August 1, I'm assuming there will be a big uptake of tickets. I'm expecting to see a big Irish contingent there,” he said.
“Get in early, because tickets will sell out quickly.”
The match is intended to be a celebration of Irish and Australian culture as well as the growth of female footy.
Starcevich's Lions have four Irish players listed giving him a clear insight into what they offer to the game.
“They take a risk, play on, keep the ball moving, they're powerful runners and long, driving kicks so they bring a lot to AFLW,” Starcevich added.
“It's unique because I don't think you'll ever get to a point where an AFL men's Irish team is going to get plucked out of this competition to play an Irish team but for us, this is huge.
Starcevich was speaking at the launch of ClubScout, a local football recruiting platform he has unveiled alongside son, Jackson and nephew, Brandon – a two-time premiership winner at Brisbane and current West Coast Eagle.
"In the free agency space and trade period last year, I was lucky enough to have a manager who knows about negotiating and my worth," West Coast's Brandon Starcevich said of the platform.
"Local footy players don't have that, so this platform provides that conduit for clubs to do their recruiting and players to get a figure they're actually worth."
