GEELONG Cats co-captain Nina Morrison is the latest addition to the Australian squad for the sold-out 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, 1 August, while Gold Coast SUNS defender Clara Fitzpatrick is now set to represent Ireland.
Morrison replaces Melbourne premiership and All-Australian defender Maeve Chaplin, who has been ruled out of the historic clash with a foot injury.
Fitzpatrick comes into the Irish squad in place of Adelaide Crow Grace Kelly, who has been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Morrison has played 62 matches for the Cats since she was taken with pick No.1 in the 2018 AFLW Draft and claimed the club's best and fairest in 2024, while Fitzpatrick, who hails from County Down in Northern Ireland, has played 38 games across the SUNS and St Kilda.
Chaplin is the second Australian player to be withdrawn from the original squad, after North Melbourne premiership captain Emma Kearney was ruled out last week with a hamstring injury. Brisbane Lions premiership captain Breanna Koenen was called up as her replacement.
Australian senior coach Darren Crocker said:
“It's disappointing to lose Maeve, especially so close to the match. She was excited to represent Australia, and we wish her all the best with her recovery, but we're fortunate to have a player of Nina's calibre ready to step into the squad.
“Nina has been one of the competition’s most consistent performers and we know she’ll embrace this opportunity.”
Irish senior coach Colin O’Riordan said:
"The timing of Grace's injury is really unfortunate and it's obviously very disappointing for her to miss out on the honour of playing for her country alongside her sister Niamh. "While we're all feeling for Grace, we are pleased to bring in Clara and know she will be a great addition for the Tricolour.”
The 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match will be played under Australian Football rules, using a classic Sherrin football, and bring together some of the competition’s biggest stars and emerging talent to celebrate the continued growth of women’s football and the strong connection between AFLW and Ireland.
Starting at 4.15pm AEST, the match will be broadcast live nationally on Fox Footy, Kayo Sports, Kayo Freebies and Binge.
While tickets for the match have been exhausted, fans across Sydney can still experience the excitement of the occasion alongside fellow supporters by attending a watch party at participating venues.
These include the Coogee Bay Hotel (Coogee), PJ O’Brien’s (Sydney CBD), Clovelly Hotel (Clovelly), Shea’s (Clovelly), Rag & Famish (North Sydney), The Henson Park Hotel (Marrickville), The Bellevue Hotel (Paddington) and Club Five Dock RSL (Five Dock).
The W Club at The Aviary Hotel (Abbotsford) will also host a watch party for fans across Melbourne.
A Ticketmaster waitlist also remains in place should any additional tickets become available in the lead-up to the match.
For more information about the 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match, visit AUSVIRL.AFL
