IF THIS isn’t the perfect Australian Mother’s Day gift, we don’t know what is.

Theresa Duffy’s stay in Australia was due to come to an end this week, but when it was confirmed that her son Matt would make a long-awaited VFL debut on Saturday night, reconsiderations had to be made.

Flights were changed, a stay was extended and what resulted was not only seeing her son pull on the Carlton jumper for the first time, but also the celebration of his first win.

It’s been a long road back for Duffy, who signed for the Blues in August of 2023, made his first trip to Australia alongside Rob Monahan a month later, but then sustained an ACL injury while finishing his Gaelic season just weeks later.

The gratitude in his voice immediately post-match told the full tale.

“It was a great feeling to be out there. It’s been quite a long rehab period, but to get the first one down with the first W - hopefully we can keep that streak going,” Duffy said.

“I’m really grateful to be out there, to play my first game and to have Mum with me here as well, it was very special.”

Learning a new game and coming to terms with life in a new country is difficult enough, let alone having to rehabilitate a long-term injury that clearly wasn’t without its frustrations.

Speaking candidly, the debutant conceded that doubts did fester during that long and arduous process back - but then the smile couldn’t be wiped from his face on a night where an Irish flag adorned Carlton’s administration building from where AFL players watched from the balcony.

“There were definitely times where I doubted if this night would ever come, with three operations and different setbacks along the journey. It’s hard to bring it to words, to be honest - we’re back. We’re back.

“It’s been a long journey to this point after I unfortunately did my ACL when I was finishing my Gaelic season. From back in Ireland, the woman standing next to me is the main reason I’m here.”

If Matt’s smile couldn’t be wiped off his face, it was still probably being drowned out by that of his mum standing beside him.

With the circumstances around her son’s first game, Theresa surrounded herself in the outer of IKON Park along a whole host of fellow players’ families, as she watched with bated breath when her son emerged through his first game of football.

His first competitive game of any kind in over 18 months, her first words after being asked about Matt’s return and debut? “I’m so proud of him.”

“I was going to make it my business to stay. I wouldn’t have missed tonight for the world - it’s been amazing.

“I think this counts as a fine summer evening in Ireland! It’s been a long time coming, and it’s been a privilege to be around Carlton - and I have to say the Carlton mums have been amazing to me.

“Lisa O’Keeffe and myself are going to be friends for life I think - she wants me to emigrate out here so we can play golf on a daily basis! Jo Boyd has been amazing too, plus the staff as well like Lil, Eleni and Tarah… just everybody.”

As the Duffys are wrapping up this chat from the Carlton gym, Theresa catches the eye of someone who was a stranger to the family just two years ago.

“Ah, my other Carlton son!”

Rob Monahan was the one who presented his mate with his guernsey pre-game, and there was only one word he needed to describe their Saturday night at IKON Park.

“Fun. It was a fun day.

“I’m absolutely delighted for him. It’s been a long wait: since we first came over together in September 2023, we’ve been talking about the day when we’d get to line up together.

“The presentation? I don’t think anybody understood me, and I just made it up on the spot - but at least Duffy understood!”