Debbie Lee - Australia v Ireland Review | AFL Hall of Famer (04.08.26)
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How did the Australia v Ireland AFLW spectacle play out at North Sydney Oval?
Now, back to Waitley.
There is the sign. It's been a historic afternoon at North Sydney Oval. Australia have beaten Ireland by 50 points in front of a sell-out crowd. It's been something special to watch. Stars of the game everywhere. A free-flowing affair. Good afternoon.
It proved the showpiece game all involved had hope to stage. It drew the biggest audience yet for a W game on Fox footy. That was the AFL Nation call of the concluding stages. The sense of occasion, the standard of match was with the best of W players representing Australia and Ireland. Debbie Lee is an Australian Football Hall of Famer. She served as the chair of selectors for Australia. Debbie, great to have you on the program again. Welcome. Yeah, thanks for having me. What did you think?
Oh, Gerard, it was amazing. I think it exceeded my expectations, to be honest. The game itself was electric. We knew the Irish would come out firing, but also the atmosphere, the crowd and the build-up was outstanding.
What was it like inside the Australian camp, Debbie, and particularly in the aftermath?
Yeah, it was great. I mean, it was an interesting concept, wasn't it? I mean, we brought all these players together who were the best of the best and they'd been playing against their teammates. So, you know, we did a few icebreakers early on, but, you know, they're all professionals. It was just a great time. And there's a real sense of privilege to be part of it, whether it was staff or players. to actually have this moment. And as we know, there's always been first moments in women's football, and this is another one of them.
Rep footy has the chance to elevate the game. I felt like we saw that. There were some breathtaking moments. I felt like Mon Conti's burst through the stoppage to the clear tap. That was such a great moment. But there were highlights littered throughout. Did you feel that way?
Yeah, absolutely. There was, you know, just exceptional pieces of play. And even the Irish, I mean, that first half, they came out firing. And we knew they were going to do the change hand pass. And it was so interesting. Every time they completed a hand pass, the crowd just went up another notch. So, you know, they almost carried the momentum of that hand pass. But, you know, it was just exceptional. I mean, you look back, Gerard, at where we've come from in terms of the skill and what we were able to put out on the park. on Saturday was just amazing. And it's only going to grow.
What were Debbie Lee’s first impressions of the game and atmosphere?
And obviously we've got another opportunity this weekend to showcase the girls at their best.
What was the ambition like in the aftermath, Debbie? I remember after Origin is talking to players and administrators alike, there was a vision to get that restored in the men's game. What was the chatter in the aftermath like as to what the possibilities for these internationals might be?
I think, you know, because it was so well received and, as I said, did more than what we actually thought it would do, obviously we'll have a look what it looks like. I mean, it's going to stay clearly, I would suspect. Laura Kane has done an amazing effort in trying to bring the game to life and being quite visionary around this aspect. So it's, you know, to have this opportunity and the fans want it. I mean, they all turned up. So, you know, I mean, my vision would be how do we grow it? How do we extend it? How do we open up to more people?
Could we be more ambitious the next time around now that it's been staged for the first time? And I don't know whether it's the SCG or one of the... Could we take on a stadium?
Yeah, I think the possibility is absolutely there. I mean... You know, Gerard, you sort of look at the pattern of women's football. You know, we started off with an exhibition series, then we had a competition, and now look at AFLW, and I see this as the same sort of pattern. So we made a start, and that's what we've got to do and continue to do is make a start in things and create moments and then build from that. So, you know, obviously we saw how great it was. We're going to springboard from what we actually saw on Saturday.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
How did the Australia v Ireland AFLW spectacle play out at North Sydney Oval?
0:00–2:28
2
What were Debbie Lee’s first impressions of the game and atmosphere?
2:28–4:03
3
How did the Australian camp bond and prepare for the international match?
4:03–6:14
4
Which standout moments and plays defined the contest?
6:14–9:00
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Whateley
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