Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but Blaithin Mackin will sit out the 2026 season.

https://x.com/edbourkeHS/status/2023623301189214580

Perhaps someone with access to Code Sports can post the linked article, but it seems as though homesickness is the issue here.

Apparently there will be another draft in April or thereabouts for teams to top up their lists, rather than it being open slather with replacement players.

5 minutes ago, poita said:

Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but Blaithin Mackin will sit out the 2026 season.

https://x.com/edbourkeHS/status/2023623301189214580

Perhaps someone with access to Code Sports can post the linked article, but it seems as though homesickness is the issue here.

Apparently there will be another draft in April or thereabouts for teams to top up their lists, rather than it being open slather with replacement players.

She is a big loss...

Bugger....one of the most talented to come to our side from Ireland. Hope her sister Aimee isn't feeling the same.....

Very disappointing news. She was one of our top performers

'It is hard': The double life of Mackin as an Irish AFLW...

Melbourne premiership player Blaithin Mackin loves playing both Gaelic and AFLW — but it means living a double life.

@george_on_the_outer there were hints of homesickness in this 20 November 2025 article. "I feel like it is hard. You're not fully settled anywhere, which sometimes I find tricky," Mackin told ABC Sport.

B was a gun. Her energy, evasiveness and on-field leadership will be sorely missed. On A, there's been no news. Meggs does not expect Aimee to return.

Kudos to @Katrina Dee Fan who broke this news a few months ago.

As @poita alluded to, the AFLW is planning to hold a first-ever pre-season draft in early May. So, a brand new Demon will join us, which is exciting!

Meanwhile Clare P, how's the coach recruiting process coming along, any news?

Edited February 18Feb 18 by Meggs
Grammar

When I saw this thread I thought it might have been an injury, so while I'm glad it's not that...not great news!

I've loved what Blaithin's brought over the years. I reckon she had another couple of levels in her, and I do think in the end she's been hampered a bit in recent seasons (7 games each in 2024 and 2025) by not being able to do full pre-seasons and not quite getting a clear run at it to really build some form. I'll remain hopeful it's a pause rather than a goodbye, but given the difficulties raised in the article posted by @Meggs it's fully understandable if it's time for her to return home fully.

Always a premiership player!

We'll see when the club gets around to announcing this, a little indicator of how "shut down" / "asleep at the wheel" the club is or isn't re: the W program. And when we might expect to hear on that other big outstanding matter of a coach! Of course, stuff might be happening without a priority on/resources for communicating it. Based on the below, we're about 2.5 months from "actual" pre-season (assuming early May).

In terms of replacing B., I skimmed this a while back with the pessimistic expectation that, odds on, we'd end up needing another player some way or another, and here we are:

https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1462789/the-new-way-aflw-teams-can-add-players-to-their-lists

Regarding potential pre-season draft options:

"Exposed form may be an issue depending on the player's home league – the shifted VFLW season won't kick off till May 16, after the beginning of AFLW pre-season.

The SANFLW and QAFLW seasons begin mid-April, while the WAFLW starts at the end of March. 

South Australian forward Eloise Mackereth, Vic Country key back Ella Stoddart and GWS academy midfielder Isla Wiencke were arguably the highest credentialed potential draftees to be overlooked, with all three having been in the national academy.

Gold Coast academy midfielder Annabelle Foat missed out on the draft, as was West Australian ball-winner Juliet Kelly.

When it comes to recently delisted AFLW players, it's more likely to be a needs-based selection, given the exposed form at the national level or in scrimmages, and injury history is likely to be an issue for some players.

Denby Taylor (ex-Melbourne) can plug multiple holes across the field, as can Gabby Biedenweg-Webster (Fremantle) and Gabbi Featherston (Geelong), while Indi Williams couldn't crack a tough Brisbane team."

Perhaps we've kept Denby on speed dial?

On 18/02/2026 at 15:36, poita said:

Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but Blaithin Mackin will sit out the 2026 season.

https://x.com/edbourkeHS/status/2023623301189214580

Perhaps someone with access to Code Sports can post the linked article, but it seems as though homesickness is the issue here.

Apparently there will be another draft in April or thereabouts for teams to top up their lists, rather than it being open slather with replacement players.

'...will sit out the 2026 season'.

Does Blaithin say this literally, Poita, if you were able to get access? Or anyone else?

And is there qualification, like 'and definitely only 2026', or 'then we'll see what happens', or 'but it could well be permanent'?

If she's like Sinead, at 35, Blaithin, at 26, still has a few more years that she can give two or three or more of to the Dees. I presume the AFL will break its habits to let this happen, and automatically and straightforwardly!

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew