The AFL has confirmed the next release of players for the upcoming representative match between Australia and Ireland, with Cats star Rachel Kearns among those selected to represent her home country. 

A brilliant and tough defender, Kearns has been a star for Geelong over a number of years and has earned the honour of playing in the Ireland team, set to wear the green and orange in the historic clash. 

Kearns joins a list of key Cats personnel that will feature in the match, with Aishling Moloney (Ireland) and Georgie Prespakis (Australia) both announced last week, while Elise Coventry has also been named as an assistant coach for the Irish team. 

The 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match will be played under Australian Football Rules with a classic Sherrin football, with the clash set to take place at 4.15pm AEST on Saturday August 1. 

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Kearns sizzling speccy in MOTY contender

Rachel Kearns gets some super hang-time over her opponent to reel in this stunning Mark of the Year contender

Kearns hails from County Mayo and was a standout Gaelic footballer growing up, playing for Castlebar Celtic and Galway while also representing the Republic of Ireland Under-19s team. 

At the end of 2021, Kearns made the leap and switched codes, crossing the globe and joining Geelong's AFLW team ahead of Season Six in 2022. 

She made her debut right away in Round 1 against North Melbourne, kicking her first goal in the competition a week later against Carlton. 

From there, Kearns continued to solidify her position in the team and played an important role in Geelong's 2023 campaign, which led to a Preliminary Final berth. 

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 01: Rachel Kearns of the Cats takes a high mark over Georgia Gall of the Demons during the 2025 AFLW Round 12 match between the Geelong Cats and the Melbourne Demons at GMHBA Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos)

Finding her niche in defence, Kearns has proven to be a reliable asset with the ability to play either tall or small, utilising her speed and toughness to break packs and repel opposition attacks. 

2024 was an outstanding season for the Irishwoman, finishing in Geelong's top three players for intercept marks and intercept possessions, en route to a top-five finish in Geelong's best and fairest. 

The 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match will be played on Saturday August 1 from 4.15pm AEST, and will be broadcast exclusively live around the country on Fox Footy, Kayo Sports, Kayo Freebies and Binge.

Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, June 24 via Ticketmaster. Club and AFL members will have access from 10am AEST, and the general public from 12pm AEST.