AFLW 2024: Windy local grounds affecting image, says Aileen Gilroy

A Hawthorn AFLW star says a key aspect of playing at local grounds is affecting how the competition is perceived.

Hawthorn forward Aileen Gilroy says playing in high winds at exposed local grounds is doing the AFLW a disservice as she called for more stadiums to hold matches.

Gilroy, who played in one of the two AFLW games at the MCG with North Melbourne in 2022, said she would love to play in stadiums again as the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide prepare to meet at the MCG on Friday evening.

No games had originally been fixtured at regular AFL men’s venues except for Geelong and Gold Coast’s home games after the league last year made a concerted shift away from stadiums to “heartland venues”.

A week of damaging winds in the nation’s southeast posed challenges for players and fans in round 1 games at Windy Hill, Geelong and Frankston.

Ahead of her 50th game on Saturday against Collingwood, Gilroy said she loved playing at Frankston’s Kinetic Stadium, but the competition would benefit more from games returning to Marvel Stadium, where Hawthorn and Essendon played their first matches.

Hawthorn forward Aileen Gilroy says more AFLW games should be played in stadiums. Picture: James Gourley / Getty Images

She said the exposed grounds, including Melbourne’s home at Casey Fields, made it difficult for players to showcase rapidly improving skill levels.

“Even just down in Frankston on the weekend … it’s a beautiful oval and we love playing on it, but that wind, it just does not help our cause as female athletes,” Gilroy said.

“We can’t nail our kicks just because the wind is bad … shots at goal can be off just with the wind, and it’s not our skills, it’s the conditions.

“If we played more at Marvel, we wouldn’t have that extra fight against the wind. It’s a massive opportunity for everyone … as you grow up, you want to play on the big stage.”

One of 33 Irish players this season, Gilroy played at the MCG for the Kangaroos against the Demons in a 2022 home-and-away game before she crossed to Hawthorn as an inaugural player.

Melbourne played in both AFLW games held at the MCG in 2022 season 6, against North Melbourne and then in a preliminary final against Brisbane. Picture: Michael Klein

“The (Bulldogs and Power) girls playing tomorrow night at the MCG, that’s going to be massive, and it’s so exciting for them just to get that opportunity,” she said.

“There are 18-year-old girls playing their first or second game in the AFLW and getting to play on the MCG like that, and it’s some opportunity.”

Gilroy, 31, had 16 disposals and two goals in the Hawks’ round 1 win over Carlton and said she felt her forward chemistry with fellow Irishwoman Aine McDonagh was at its highest.

“I think having Aine in the forward line with me, I think the two of us have a very weird, Irish understanding of each other,” Gilroy said.

“I don’t need to look up because I know exactly where Aine is. Having another Irish person in the same line as me really helps me as a player and a person, to be honest.”

Demons recruit Casey Sherriff will also play her 50th AFLW game against the Magpies at Victoria Park after an impressive two-goal performance on her Hawthorn debut.

Originally published as AFLW 2024: Windy local grounds affecting image, says Aileen Gilroy