Aisling McCarthy has become the first non-Australian player to be traded between two AFLW (Australian Football League Women's) clubs.
West Coast Eagles announced on Tuesday that they have signed the Tipperary footballer from Western Bulldogs in a deal which also sees the two sides exchanging draft picks.
The 22-year-old joined Western Bulldogs last year. She initially played as a forward before transitioning to becoming a midfielder. In all, she made six AFLW appearances.
Hear from our latest @sfperth recruit, Aisling McCarthy! pic.twitter.com/hjUBPPSd03
— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) August 4, 2020
McCarthy has signed a two-year deal with the Eagles and joins Mayo sisters Grace and Niamh Kelly at the club.
"Head AFLW recruiter Chad Morrision and myself tracked Aisling’s development with the Western Bulldogs over the past 18 months and have been extremely impressed with how well she had taken up the game and her consistent impact at AFLW level," said Adam Selwood, the Eagles' head of women's football.
"Not only does Aisling provide us with another strong-bodied and poised midfielder, she has the ability to push forward and become a dangerous threat in our forward line.
"Aisling is a long-term proposition for our football program and we cannot wait to get her out to Western Australia to join her new teammates and familiarise herself with the West Coast Eagles family."
McCarthy will move to Perth ahead of the 2021 pre-season which begins on November 4th.
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
