‘Couldn’t kick straight’: AFLW star’s climb after solo move down under

Orla O’Dwyer has been a trailblazer in her time with the Brisbane Lions since relocating to Australia for AFLW in 2019, but not every step was picture perfect.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 03: Orla O'Dwyer of the Lions celebrates a goal during the 2023 AFLW Grand Final match between The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and The Brisbane Lions at IKON Park on December 03, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Orla O’Dwyer has been a trailblazer in her time with the Brisbane Lions since relocating to Australia for AFLW in 2019, but not every step was picture perfect

The midfield star, hailing from South Ireland, grew up surrounded by Gaelic Football before making the solo move down under at age 20.

“Everyone gets around (Gaelic Football) and it’s just part of our identity,” O’Dwyer said

“I was lucky enough in 2019 to come over here and give AFLW a chance ... I didn’t really know what it was.”
O’Dwyer had caught glimpses of Irish athletes who had made the switch to Aussie Rules and decided to follow suit.

“There were two or three other Irish girls who were over here playing,” she said.

“I thought I’d love the opportunity.”

Orla O'Dwyer of the Lions celebrates a goal during the 2023 AFLW Grand Final (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

At the time a popular agency called Cross Coders existed, dedicated to finding and connecting athletes with the AFLW in order to grow the competition’s numbers given its youth.

O’Dwyer collected a series of highlight clips and sent in her application.

“A few clubs came back interested and I chose Brisbane,” she said.

Despite having never heard of the city - knowing only of Melbourne and Sydney - it’s become her home since.

“It’s great to be here. I’ve loved every second of it.”

This season marks her sixth with the Lions, but it almost didn’t last.

“My hardest challenge was definitely the psych of coming to Australia,” O’Dwyer said.

“Going to a new sport in a new country was something I overestimated.

“I’d developed to become a household name back home ... to come (here) and be almost messing up the drills was a very vulnerable experience for me.”

Orla O'Dwyer (left) and Ellie Hampson of the Lions celebrate during the 2023 AFLW First Preliminary Final (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

O’Dwyer spoke at the 2024 Women in Sport summit, held on Wednesday July 24 at The Star Gold Coast, about how it really felt to make such a drastic move at a young age.

“I came into it thinking I’d be fine ... but I was wrong for sure,” she said.

“I remember going to training and wanting to be at the back of the line and afraid to ask the girls to be my partner because I couldn’t kick straight.

There were admittedly countless doubts, but overcoming those helped her to get where she is today: an inspiration for young women, and part of a growing AFLW community.

“(I) had great coaches around me, a great bunch of girls and that really set me up.

“To think a couple of years ago, nobody really knew what the AFLW was, to now being almost fully professional.”

Originally published as ‘Couldn’t kick straight’: AFLW star’s climb after solo move down under