AFLW All-Stars and Ireland delight a different type of sports crowd: ‘There’s nothing quite like it’

A sell-out crowd gathered to watch the inaugural Australia v Ireland Australian rules game at North Sydney Oval. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

Australia’s historic AFLW match against Ireland started with a dance party and ended with a chorus of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie”.

On a chilly Saturday afternoon, 9,000 footy fans packed out North Sydney Oval to witness the first international women’s Australian rules game, and there was a carnival-like mood in the air.