THERE'S a single thought that propels Erone Fitzpatrick as she blazes down the wing. 

“My opposition has not been through what I’ve been through in my life,” she told AFL.com.au ahead of Carlton’s qualifying final against North Melbourne.

“I think mentally about how much work it’s taken me to get to where I am today.

“I’ve built up so much resilience.

“I just like to think that when I come up against my opposition, I’m like ‘I’ve done so much more work than you’. I’ve put in the hard yards.

“I’ve travelled to the other side of the world to come here and do this.

“Going through two ACLs and just different things that have happened since I’ve been here, I’ve built that mental resilience to be able to have one up [on the opposition].”

Fitzpatrick’s first serious knee injury came while she was playing Gaelic football back home in Ireland. Surgery just before Covid-19 hit in early 2020 meant her rehabilitation was a “very lonely road”.

Just a few years later, she had to face doing the whole process all over again, this time a world away from home.

Ten games into her first AFLW season, Fitzpatrick tore an ACL for the second time and missed the entirety of the 2024 season as a result. This time, she had the benefit of the resources of an AFL club to aid in her recovery, but it was still a “grim” process.

It did, however, give Fitzpatrick a great appreciation for the resources afforded to AFLW players as professional athletes.

Coming from Gaelic football, where even the highest level of competition is still amateur, having access to high-performance resources is not something Fitzpatrick took lightly, even after returning to the footy field.

“I never take a training for granted. Never take a game for granted. And then coming over from an amateur sport, you never take the resources from here for granted,” she said.

“I always tell the younger players that as well. The resources they have available allow them to be the best footballers they can possibly be. And then with having a psych and stuff involved as well, you can be the best person you can possibly be as well because you get to work on those different aspects of who you are as a person. 

“So coming here I’m like ‘you guys are so lucky!’. For eighteen-year-olds coming into the competition, they’re so well looked after! Mentally, physically, everybody has your best interests at heart. They do at home too; don’t get me wrong, there’s just not the same resources or personnel. It’s crazy, because it would be so hard to go back to Gaelic football just because it’s amateur, so there’s not much money involved; therefore you don’t have the resources available to you.”

With a sister based in Perth and the rest of her family back in Ireland, the 26-year-old has learnt to rely on her teammates and their “sisterhood” as she navigates life as both a professional footballer and a young woman.

“It does get quite lonely, and there have been challenging times. Going through a break-up and not having family here has been quite challenging, but I’m so lucky that I have this club and I don’t feel homesick because these people are my family,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I’m so fortunate that I have everybody at this club that I know that if something happens to me, I can text them and they’ll be there straight away. 

“And then obviously there’s such a great Irish connection in Melbourne especially, so you never feel alone.

“I’m very fortunate to be part of a club that really invests in not just you as a player, but as a person. 

“They know everything about me, and they’re just the best in the world. I feel like that’s why I don’t feel as lonely because I have these people.

“You can see that off-field connection transfer to our on-field connection as well. 

“We do a lot of work around vulnerability and being able to show our vulnerable side because ultimately that’s how you get to know someone really well is you love the good things but you also love the bad things and I think sometimes you can bond over hard moments, and I just think that’s something that our group has done really well is leaning into that vulnerability.”

Recently selected as a member of the 2026 AFLW All-Australian squad, Fitzpatrick has become one of the most exciting players in the competition, but she refuses to read any media coverage of herself – despite her family’s best efforts.

“I would never look at comments or anything like that - of course my family are always sending stuff into the group chat, but I’m just trying to keep myself grounded,” she said.

“To be honest, I don’t think I’ve reached my potential yet.

“Realistically, this is only my third season. I feel like I have so much more to give. That’s what drives me a well. I had an injury in pre-season so I actually didn’t really do much pre-season. So, imagine if I did have that under my belt. 

“I just feel like there are new levels that I can get to. So hopefully, the best is yet to come.”

Get two NAB AFLW qualifying final games for the price of one at Saturday’s Ikon Park double-header! Geelong takes on Melbourne, before North Melbourne hosts Carlton. All spectators need a ticket - adults $15, kids under 15 free. Get your tickets here