If not a scam, surely she was dreaming. It soon became apparent that she wasn’t: the Melbourne club wanted to speak to Brady.
One meeting led to another, and eventually they offered her a contract. It was a Sunday night after arriving back to Maynooth University for the college week ahead, and the announcement followed two weeks before Christmas.
“It didn’t feel real,” recalls Brady, whose immediate focus is on Cavan’s Division 2 league final against Donegal in Clones next Sunday.
“It still doesn’t really feel real. I’ve been saying it’s a holiday to kind of try wire something in my brain that I’m actually going.
“But I can’t wait. It’s something so new. Before this year, with the more contact (in the LGFA’s trial rules) I’ve always wanted to have that bit more contact. As soon as Aishling went and we were exposed to it as a county, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, that sounds cool. I’d love to be able to give that a go.’
“I love trying new things. To be able to represent my club and county over there too would be huge for me.”
“She put me at ease, she was very good with me. She was very patient as well, with all my different questions.”
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Sheridan in action for Collingwood in 2023. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Collingwood’s Irish contingent of Sarah Rowe, Muireann Atkinson and Kellyanne Hogan have also been in touch ahead of pre-season, which begins in May.
“I’m not even over there and I feel welcome already. I couldn’t have asked for more. They were so lovely about it, and like Aishling, made the whole thing seem so normal.”
When we chatted some weeks back, Brady has no flight booked as she awaits confirmation on college exams, in her first year of studying sports science and health.
Full focus is on that, college football, and Cavan – who have since secured their first-ever promotion to Division 1 in the league – but a new life on the other side of the world looms.
Brady has never been to Australia and is looking forward to some sun, as well as her new job.
“I haven’t really thought much of being a professional athlete. I don’t think I will either. I don’t think that really plays into it. I have to play the sport at the end of the day.
“I haven’t really thought about the lifestyle. I’ve watched a couple of ‘Day in the Life’ videos (on social media) and I don’t know how well I’m going to do with these early mornings, but I’m going to have to get used to them quickly!”
A hamstring injury has hampered her preparations, but having recently returned to inter-county action, Brady has been getting used to kicking a Sherrin in her spare time.
“As soon as Dad got that first message, he was on Amazon and buying one,” she laughs.
“I’ve never watched a full game because when it’d be on the telly it’d be silly o’clock, but I have watched clips and all. I genuinely can’t wait to give it a go.”
Brady in action for Loreto College Cavan in 2022. Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILE
Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
Football has always been a central pillar for Brady and her family, growing up in Ballyhaise, a rural village seven kilometres north of Cavan town. Her sisters, Sorcha and Doireann, also play with the club – the latter vice-captain of the Cavan U16s – while parents James and Sinéad have watched on proudly through the years.
Camogie is still sampled from time to time, while athletics with local club Annalee was a staple through her formative years.
“The bane of my existence,” Brady pipes up.
“It wasn’t really for me. I enjoyed being in a team setup too much. I hated being on my own. You just have to be some type of person to get through a running session. Going from a team setup to training by myself was just horrible. I was starting to miss football.
“The spark I had for it kind of just faded. I’d be trying to chat to the girls before the races and they’d be having none of it.
“But I wouldn’t be half the player I am today without athletics. It really does stand to you.”
That much is evident watching her in action; a towering, powerful presence, but fast and agile after years of sprinting and jumping.
Brady was a standout for Cavan underage teams, captaining the minors to a historic All-Ireland A title against Kerry two years ago, while there were other national successes with both county and school, Loreto College Cavan.
The transition to the senior ranks has been seamless. Her 2025 debut season yielded Division 3 league and Ulster intermediate championship medals, with higher heights now being targeted.
Securing back-to-back promotions, and historic Division 1 status, has been the perfect way to bounce back from last year’s All-Ireland intermediate quarter-final exit, and the aim is to push on.
Cavan celebrating Division 3 league glory last April. Shauna Clinton / SPORTSFILE
Shauna Clinton / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
“The older girls have the experience, and then our underage in Cavan is ridiculous. Everyone knows where we should be, and I think we’re on the way to getting back to where we deserve to be.
“I think it’s just something that we have in our heads. We’re quite stubborn women in Cavan, and so once something gets into your head, it’s not coming out!
“After being so close to going the whole way last year, I think the drive is there from the get-go this year, because we know what we have. ”
The last word goes to where it all began. The green and gold of Ballyhaise.
Home. 17,000km from her future Sydney base.
“Ah, I could sit here and talk about Ballyhaise all day,” Brady beams. “I love my club and I will never, ever get tired of talking about my club. I think I have all my friends drove mad with how much I talk about it.
“I owe my soul to Ballyhaise. Ballyhaise was the first thing I thought about when I was taking the contract with Collingwood. I have just such a sense of pride. I love my club.”
That love and pride goes both ways, as excitement builds for the adventure of lifetime Down Under.
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'They messaged my Dad on Facebook, and I was like, ‘That's a scam'' - AFLW bound Cavan teen
ELLIE BRADY THOUGHT it was a scam at first.
The Cavan 19-year-old laughs as she picks up the story behind her imminent AFLW move.
“It was actually kind of weird,” Brady tells The 42. “They messaged my Dad on Facebook Messenger, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a scam, Dad!’”
They, being Collingwood Football Club. The same Australian side her Breffni teammate, Aishling Sheridan, represented for five seasons.
Dad, being James, who was hunted out of her bedroom as he came to relay the news bright and early.
“Well, it was half seven in the morning. I was still in the bed. I was kind of like, ‘Get out, don’t be coming in!’”
If not a scam, surely she was dreaming. It soon became apparent that she wasn’t: the Melbourne club wanted to speak to Brady.
One meeting led to another, and eventually they offered her a contract. It was a Sunday night after arriving back to Maynooth University for the college week ahead, and the announcement followed two weeks before Christmas.
“It didn’t feel real,” recalls Brady, whose immediate focus is on Cavan’s Division 2 league final against Donegal in Clones next Sunday.
“It still doesn’t really feel real. I’ve been saying it’s a holiday to kind of try wire something in my brain that I’m actually going.
“But I can’t wait. It’s something so new. Before this year, with the more contact (in the LGFA’s trial rules) I’ve always wanted to have that bit more contact. As soon as Aishling went and we were exposed to it as a county, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, that sounds cool. I’d love to be able to give that a go.’
“I love trying new things. To be able to represent my club and county over there too would be huge for me.”
Sheridan has been a huge support through the unknown, having closed her own AFLW chapter despite recent interest.
“She put me at ease, she was very good with me. She was very patient as well, with all my different questions.”
Collingwood’s Irish contingent of Sarah Rowe, Muireann Atkinson and Kellyanne Hogan have also been in touch ahead of pre-season, which begins in May.
“I’m not even over there and I feel welcome already. I couldn’t have asked for more. They were so lovely about it, and like Aishling, made the whole thing seem so normal.”
When we chatted some weeks back, Brady has no flight booked as she awaits confirmation on college exams, in her first year of studying sports science and health.
Full focus is on that, college football, and Cavan – who have since secured their first-ever promotion to Division 1 in the league – but a new life on the other side of the world looms.
Brady has never been to Australia and is looking forward to some sun, as well as her new job.
“I haven’t really thought much of being a professional athlete. I don’t think I will either. I don’t think that really plays into it. I have to play the sport at the end of the day.
“I haven’t really thought about the lifestyle. I’ve watched a couple of ‘Day in the Life’ videos (on social media) and I don’t know how well I’m going to do with these early mornings, but I’m going to have to get used to them quickly!”
A hamstring injury has hampered her preparations, but having recently returned to inter-county action, Brady has been getting used to kicking a Sherrin in her spare time.
“As soon as Dad got that first message, he was on Amazon and buying one,” she laughs.
“I’ve never watched a full game because when it’d be on the telly it’d be silly o’clock, but I have watched clips and all. I genuinely can’t wait to give it a go.”
Football has always been a central pillar for Brady and her family, growing up in Ballyhaise, a rural village seven kilometres north of Cavan town. Her sisters, Sorcha and Doireann, also play with the club – the latter vice-captain of the Cavan U16s – while parents James and Sinéad have watched on proudly through the years.
Camogie is still sampled from time to time, while athletics with local club Annalee was a staple through her formative years.
“The bane of my existence,” Brady pipes up.
“It wasn’t really for me. I enjoyed being in a team setup too much. I hated being on my own. You just have to be some type of person to get through a running session. Going from a team setup to training by myself was just horrible. I was starting to miss football.
“The spark I had for it kind of just faded. I’d be trying to chat to the girls before the races and they’d be having none of it.
“But I wouldn’t be half the player I am today without athletics. It really does stand to you.”
That much is evident watching her in action; a towering, powerful presence, but fast and agile after years of sprinting and jumping.
Brady was a standout for Cavan underage teams, captaining the minors to a historic All-Ireland A title against Kerry two years ago, while there were other national successes with both county and school, Loreto College Cavan.
The transition to the senior ranks has been seamless. Her 2025 debut season yielded Division 3 league and Ulster intermediate championship medals, with higher heights now being targeted.
Securing back-to-back promotions, and historic Division 1 status, has been the perfect way to bounce back from last year’s All-Ireland intermediate quarter-final exit, and the aim is to push on.
“The older girls have the experience, and then our underage in Cavan is ridiculous. Everyone knows where we should be, and I think we’re on the way to getting back to where we deserve to be.
“I think it’s just something that we have in our heads. We’re quite stubborn women in Cavan, and so once something gets into your head, it’s not coming out!
“After being so close to going the whole way last year, I think the drive is there from the get-go this year, because we know what we have. ”
The last word goes to where it all began. The green and gold of Ballyhaise.
Home. 17,000km from her future Sydney base.
“Ah, I could sit here and talk about Ballyhaise all day,” Brady beams. “I love my club and I will never, ever get tired of talking about my club. I think I have all my friends drove mad with how much I talk about it.
“I owe my soul to Ballyhaise. Ballyhaise was the first thing I thought about when I was taking the contract with Collingwood. I have just such a sense of pride. I love my club.”
That love and pride goes both ways, as excitement builds for the adventure of lifetime Down Under.
But first, Clones beckons with Cavan.
*****
Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
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Cavan Ellie Brady Interview Ladies Football LGFA