AFL Ireland is proud to announce the appointment of Nick Harden as the new Head Coach of the Irish National Team, the Irish Banshees. This marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for Irish Banshees as the national team sets its sights on the 2025 season and beyond.
In accepting the position, Nick shared their enthusiasm for the role: ‘’I am honored and excited to be appointed as the head coach of this incredible Banshees AFL team. The growth and development of AFL in Ireland is something I’m deeply passionate about, and I’m eager to contribute to the continued success and evolution of the game.’’
‘‘I believe in the power of teamwork, resilience, and hard work, and I’m committed to building on the success the Banshees have experienced over the past number of years. Together, we will focus on fostering a strong team spirit, developing skills, and achieving greatness as we continue to raise the profile of women’s AFL in Europe.’’
‘‘I look forward to the challenges ahead and can’t wait to get started with such a talented and driven group of athletes.’’
The selection committee, expressed their confidence in the appointment, stating: “The committee are excited to have Nick in place for the next number of years. Building on from the success in Kiel last October Nick was the stand-out candidate throughout the process. All at AFL Ireland are looking forward to working alongside Nick during his tenure as head coach of the Irish Banshees.’’
AFL Ireland President, CJ Murphy, also commented on the appointment: ‘We’re delighted to have Nick on board with the Irish Banshees. He’s a very experienced coach, and has shown his impact already as he stepped up to work with the Banshees for the Euro Cup last October.’
‘‘He has great insight into the game and is a really positive, driven coach which is exactly what the Banshees need to develop even further. As the international competition is getting stronger, it is going to be really exciting to see how the Banshees will adapt, and what they will achieve over the next few years with Nick at the helm.’’
This year, the Irish Banshees Team will proudly compete at two major international tournaments – the AFL Euro 9’s held in Amsterdam and the AFL European 18’s Championships held in London. We are excited to see what this team, under the guidance of Nick, can achieve on the international stage.
Éire Abú!