Collingwood announced the signing of Monaghan ladies football captain Muireann Atkinson on Monday.
The 26-year-old thought she was flying to Melbourne to undergo a medical with the club but was met at the airport by Collingwood's head of women's football Jess Burger along with Irish teammates Sarah Rowe and Aishling Sheridan.
Rowe and Sheridan being there to greet Atkinson when she was informed about the two-year AFLW deal was a special moment. The trio won the O'Connor Cup together at DCU, where they were also housemates.
20 March 2022; Muireann Atkinson of Monaghan in action against Kayleigh Cronin of Kerry during the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 2 Semi-Final match between Kerry and Monaghan at Tuam Stadium in Tuam, Galway. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
"I literally thought I was coming for a chat and a medical with Collingwood," Atkinson told Rowe.
"I had no idea that you were going to meet me.
"They actually told me to find my own way back to the club. I was just happy that they were going to pay for the Uber!
"This is just completely unexpected. I don't know how you kept it to yourselves the past couple of days, no idea."
Irish rookie Muireann Atkinson thought she was coming to Collingwood for a medical test in the hope of getting drafted.
Little did she know former Gaelic Football teammates Sarah Rowe and Aishling Sheridan were surprising her with a two-year contract 🖤 🤍 pic.twitter.com/XbbYHgoxKv
— Collingwood AFLW (@CollingwoodAFLW) December 11, 2023
Atkinson initially travelled to Australia in August for a four-week holiday.
"There were clubs that invited me to have a kick with them which I wasn’t really expecting when coming over here, but I was really fascinated to see what even the clubs look like, and the way things are in Australia," Atkinson told the Collingwood club website.
"I went for a kick about and it was my first time kicking a Sherrin and I really liked it and then they invited me to watch the trainings and a game at the MCG.
"I went to a few clubs and then got asked to go up to Sydney as I had friends there that I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. I went up and then they offered me to stay on as a train-on.
"I was too late to sign for the season as the competition started the next week so I just stayed and trained with the team and got used to the sport for the next 10-12 weeks and hopefully get drafted come December."
11 March 2018; DCU players from left, Muireann Atkinson from Monaghan, Aishling Sheridan from Cavan, Sarah Rowe from Mayo and Aishling Moloney from Tipperary after the Gourmet Food Parlour HEC O'Connor Cup Final match between UL and DCU at the GAA National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
That hope turned into reality this week.
"Muireann is an exciting utility who brings a strong appetite for the contest and physicality," said Burger.
"She has already demonstrated her ability to upskill and apply both her physical and athletic traits across to our code in a very short amount of time.
"Her effortless sidestep, ability to use the ball on both sides and strong fend off will be key features of her game."
