IT took her a while to find her feet, quite literally, but Dayna Finn has proven her worth playing ‘footie’ for Carlton in Melbourne.

The 25-year-old Mayo woman was included in this season’s initial All-Australian team. After her third season Down Under, this accolade marks a career highlight. 

“My growth hasn’t happened overnight,” Finn admits: “And it’s good to see that reward for the hard work that I’ve put in and the people who have helped me along the way.”

The transition from playing inter-county Ladies Football and basketball back in Ireland to the cut and thrust of AFLW took a while. The adjustment to Australian Football was nothing to be trifled with.

The term playing ‘Aussie rules’ might suggest, it’s just a small adjustment - but far from it, as Dayna can testify:
“It was definitely a big transition - getting used to the different ball, a new team and a new sport.

When I transitioned over, looking back now, my skills were worse than average to say the least. And it was probably the getting to grips of the game, the game knowledge and the game sense and then the shape of the ball and just my skill execution by foot probably was my main challenge.”

The Kiltimagh native worked hard on her kicking skills. The year-and-a-half before, she was playing basketball with Trinity Meteors Dublin. 

“I just went after the skill execution mainly. So when I first came over, the first season was like a whirlwind. There was a new coach, a new team, for me a new sport. So I was telling myself that it’s not going to happen overnight. And I just went away in the off-season then and just had the ball in my hand every day.”

Dayna Finn speaks highly of all her coaches, pointing out how supportive they’ve been on her journey. It’s got a lot to do with the repetition of hand and foot, no more than the repetition of shooting hoops at home.

In terms of improving Dayna’s kicking ability, the coaches guided her from the basic technique, and then as she started feeling more comfortable, Dayna, and other Irish in the AFLW, kick the football like a GAA ball - around the body. 

“The drop punt is the most difficult,” Dayna explains: “You’re straight, whereas we try to kick around the body, mainly in Gaelic, we’re never doing a drop punt.”

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LOVING CARLTON

NOW, three years later, she has steadily increased her game time and contributions for Carlton. 

“Probably my kicking and my execution by foot has been one of my big strengths this season and I definitely saw glimpses of that last season.”

If that needed any verification, Dayna delivered a player-of-the-match performance in round three of this AFLW regular season. 

She tallied 29 disposals 10 marks and one fantastic goal to her name for Carlton Blues against Western Bulldogs.  
Dayna hasn’t only brought her kicking skills up to speed. She is comfortable in her position as a winger.

“I’m part of the midfield group. So, I essentially play on the wing. There are two wings. I can attack and defend. So, kind of like a midfielder in Gaelic football, you’re a bit outside of the main midfield. So, my role is to get involved in defence and also to trigger offence from the back half and try and contribute up front, which has been an asset this year in my game.”

The team has gelled over the course of the three years Dayna has been at Carlton. 

“I’m really loving Carlton and the girls and the team. It’s been a really strong and enjoyable season to date. Outside of that, my Dad (John) is here visiting. He’s been here the last three weeks and he’s extended his flight. He doesn’t really have much time, but he’s making the time.”

LIKE A  BLESSING

“WE’RE so privileged here,” Dayna acknowledges: “Carlton Football Club have about 100,000 club members. They have probably one of the best facilities and grounds in the competition. Walking into work every day is like a blessing.” 

The players have everything at their doorstep, and on top of that, then they have the support of a backroom team and then the support of the medical staff. It is a huge difference to home for the Irish players.

“That’s what the professionalism of the sport gives you here, and the beauty of having your pitch, gym, pool, indoor kick and field, all in the one place is so good. It suits the professionalism I probably have always carried with me as an athlete. I just do it more here because it’s my full time job.” 

Dayna’s days aren’t short by any means. Players show up for work at the club at eight or nine, five days a week, and they don’t leave till about five or six in the evening.

Of course, all that time isn’t spent on the pitch or the track. There’s gym for 45 minutes and treatment along with that. Then team meetings and reviews, plus opposition meetings that take up a good chunk of the day.

“That was probably the biggest thing when I first moved over here: Getting used to the long days of being mentally and physically taxed and being ready for all this. I remember being exhausted in the first two or three weeks.”

The Kiltimagh woman quickly got used to it, and when it came to acclimatising to the new surroundings connections to home weren’t far away. A lot of Dayna’s friends have moved to Melbourne.

“It definitely feels like a home away from home. Carlton has become my second family, but even from my small town in Kiltimagh. I think there’s about 25 to 30 of us here,” Dayna laughs. 

And sports wise, she has found her stride in professional sport: “I’m the fittest and strongest I’ve ever been.” 

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