GRACE Kos and Aisling Reidy have been called up to represent Ireland in the historic 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match at North Sydney Oval this Saturday, August 1.
The GWS GIANTS utility and Carlton midfielder will replace Sinead Goldrick and Tanya Kennedy, who have both been forced to withdraw from the Ireland squad due to injury.
Goldrick will be sidelined by a knee concern, while a back injury will force Kennedy to sit out the match.
A Dublin native, Kos joined the GIANTS in 2025 after crossing from Gaelic football and played five AFLW matches in her first season at AFLW level.
Hailing from County Clare, Reidy also made her debut during the 2025 NAB AFLW season after signing with the Blues in December 2024. The former Gaelic star featured for the Blues in four matches during last year’s run to the preliminary final.
Ireland coach Colin O’Riordan said:
“We’re extremely disappointed for both Sinead and Tanya that injury will prevent them from playing for their country on the representative stage.
“We know it’s a difficult situation and we wish both the best with their recovery and hope to see them back in action as soon as possible.
“It does provide a great opportunity for Grace and Aisling and we know they are ready to step in and represent the Tricolour with pride.”
The sold-out 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.
Following the strong demand for the match, the AFL is also pleased to confirm a limited number of additional tickets will be released at 2pm AEST on Tuesday, 28 July via Ticketmaster.
Starting at 4.15pm AEST, the match will be broadcast live nationally on Fox Footy, Kayo Sports, Kayo Freebies and Binge.
Fans across Sydney can also experience the excitement of the occasion beyond North Sydney Oval 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), Club Five Dock RSL (Five Dock) and Pumphouse Sydney (Darling Harbour).
The W Club at The Aviary Hotel (Abbotsford) will also host a watch party for fans across Melbourne.
For more information about the 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match, visit AUSVIRL.AFL.
