"That experience was absolutely the scariest and best thing I've ever done"

Irish recruit Siofra O'Connell made her AFLW debut on Sunday night against Brisbane. 

She signed on last December alongside fellow teammate Aisling Reidy after being scouted from her Gaelic team in Doora-Barefield, Ireland.

O'Connell spoke to Carlton Media post-match, reflecting on her first AFLW game.

"Once you're on, the girls are so brilliant around us that it just felt so much easier, after the first minute and the first hit," she said.

"I'm just so happy to play my first game, get out there, get a sniff of what it's like. It's the whole reason I'm here and I'm just so grateful to the team, the players, the coaches, everyone that has got behind me and trusted me and put me out there to play.

"It's very different to home, so trying to get all those things into perspective and learn the game, the communication is so good that you just know what you're doing at every second of the game."

O'Connell's family made the trip from Ireland to support her in her inaugural AFLW game, alongside fellow Irish team mate Aisling Reidy, who is yet to debut.

Being far away from her home in Ireland, the Blues have welcomed her with open arms as IKON Park becomes her new home away from home.

"My family were nearly late for the jumper presentation, but that is my family to a tee," she said.

"It's unbelievable, I didn't think I would get to see my sister or anyone in my family for a little while longer, so it was just the fastest turnaround, the most whirlwind week, and I'm so excited to show them around and see them now for a couple of days.

"The team have just like let me in everything, it's just been so welcoming because it has been such a big move and there's been days where you are homesick... They really took me under their wing."

"We're so lucky that we were here together, We're kind of a duo at this stage. We live together, play together, train together... It was so nice for her to be here today and I'm just so excited to see what both of us can bring to Carlton," O'Connell said of Aisling.

The 23-year old played in multiple VFLW games in the backend of the 2025 season, as she became known as a team player that works hard to drive forward as a defender.

She was informed on Tuesday that she would be making the trip to Brisbane for the Round 3 clash. 

"You're lucky you weren't there for that" she joked.

"It was Tuesday, I was sitting in the dressing room...realised we had a meeting trying to take my tape off because it was a hot day and then Ronnie said something about a hand pass receive, and I was like, oh that's probably me or something, and then realised what she was talking about and my face dropped and next thing all the girls are on top of me and it was just the most surreal moment.

"I think I was in shock for a full 24 hours, Bucky had to call me in for a chat".