How One of AFLW’s Rising Stars Picked Up the Game in Just Weeks

Dayna Finn is an Irish national basketballer and has also represented her home county Mayo in Gaelic football. She joined Carlton as a rookie ahead of last year. How do you learn to play a new sport, as an adult, to an elite level? 

At the age of 22, Dayna Finn had already represented Ireland in basketball, as well as carving out a respectable Gaelic football career with County Mayo.

Then Carlton came knocking, with an offer to move across the world to play an entirely new sport.

It’s now a well-trodden path, with more than 30 Irish women currently on AFLW lists – with Mayo’s Cora Staunton and Sarah Rowe among the first – so the concept itself wasn’t foreign to Finn, but the skills involved certainly were a change of pace.

“From watching those (Irish AFLW) girls, I thought, ‘geez, it’s so aggressive, it’s full on’. It was absolute chaos, they were literally running after a ball that was running in different directions, whereas in Gaelic football, it’s quite clean,” Finn said.

“No matter what I do, I get stuck in, and so stuck in that I hurt myself. So I wasn’t afraid in that aspect, but my pre-conceived ideas was that this is a mad sport. 

“But once I got into it, I realised it’s great. I think there’s always going to be that uncertainty and (sense of the) bizarre, when you’re looking from the outside as someone who doesn’t know the game. But once I knew it and was amongst it, I was happy.”

Finn had already moved across Ireland from Mayo to Dublin on a sports scholarship, studying a masters of teaching at Trinity College (which she completed over the off-season).

But in that situation, it was to further her basketball, a sport with which she was intimately familiar. Last year, not only did she have to cope with the move to Australia, a mental shift was also needed to give herself grace to make mistakes while learning a sport from scratch.

“It’s funny when you start a new sport, you’re generally seven or eight years old and it’s new and fun. Whereas me starting a new sport, my standards are really high as an athlete. So bridging the gap between accepting, ‘Dayna, you’re starting a new sport, don’t be as hard on yourself’, and wanting to get better,” Finn said.

“Initially, it was just getting to know the rules of the game and being comfortable with the bounce of the ball – the ball in general, it’s totally different. I think everything just came from that.

“Coming into this season, I just feel way more comfortable, confident in the gameplan here at Carlton and the connection between everyone is heaps better. There’s me using the Aussie phrase, ‘heaps better’.”

Now 23, Dayna Finn has used a smattering of learning techniques to develop her skills and knowledge, finding a combination of techniques currently work best.

Starting her career in defence, she’s adding another string to her bow in 2024, set to make a shift to the wing.

“In terms of gameplan, I’ll record it, I’ll read through it and sometimes a walkthrough (on the field itself) is really good. A mix of everything is good because it reiterates things,” Finn said.

“In terms of footy, especially with a new sport, seeing and doing is probably the biggest thing. Seeing the technique of the ball with a coach and then practicing that, getting into good habits of doing things right all the time. Going out for extra skills and extra touch work, too.

“The hardest thing – I wouldn’t say to learn, the learning has been OK – but the challenge for me has been my kick and ball drop. It’s an ongoing focus and it has improved a lot. The shape of the ball means the drop and kick is different, but now I can say I’m more confident in my ability.

“It’s very narrow and straight (ball drop in Australian Football), of course there’s a few snaps, but a straight technique here. At home, it’s the inside of the boot and a round kick. I’ve loved the challenge and I hope everyone says that I’ve embraced it.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dayna Finn (@daynafinn)

While compatriot and inside midfielder Erone Fitzpatrick debuted in round one of last year, Finn had to sit on the sidelines until round five before there was room for the half-back in the team.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the highly competitive Finn, who once in the side held her spot for the remainder of the season, only missing the final round through suspension.

“Definitely I think it was a challenge, but sitting here now, I’m glad I went through that period. Being the best at home, starting all the time – and you go through ups and downs with injuries at home – but that period of three or four weeks was such a good learning curve as an athlete,” she said.

“Then when I got my opportunity, I was ready to go. Looking back now, I definitely needed those extra scrimmage games to be where I am today, even. 

“Being away from home and not being able to switch off with close friends (when things weren’t going to plan) was definitely a challenge, but I’m definitely a better person and player for it.”

This article originally appeared on afl.com.au and was republished with permission.