South West pair Estelle Dragstra and Taneika Handley to represent Australia on International Rules tour

Two South West footballers will pull on the green and gold to represent Australia as part of an AFL Masters Women’s international tour. Busselton’s Estelle Dragstra and Roelands’ Taneika Handley have been selected in the over-35s team that will play games against Ireland in Mayo on March 9, and in Cavan on March 16, before taking on a combined England, Scotland and Ireland team in London on March 23. The games will be contested under international rules, a combined Australian and Gaelic hybrid game that uses the latter’s round ball and rectangular field, but Dragstra said she was confident her team would adjust well. “They’re going to be fit and fast, but there’s a lot of pace on our team, which is great,” she said. “We have the added advantage of being able to tackle, which isn’t allowed in Gaelic football. “We’ve had a lot of practice, we had a training camp in Sydney a couple of weeks ago because we’re obviously dispersed throughout Australia. It was cool to get together at the Sydney Swans headquarters and have a run together.” Dragstra played with Busselton at the outset of the SWFL women’s competition before graduating into masters football and has twice received All Australian honours at the sport’s national carnival, including as part of a premiership-winning WA side last year. Dragstra said she “never would have thought I’d be wearing the green and gold at my age”. “There’s some really great things happening in masters sports,” she said. “I’d really encourage other older athletes to never give up on their sporting aspirations.” Coach Lisa Roper said adjusting to the Irish conditions would be a “real challenge”. “I am excited at the team we have selected. There is plenty of speed and agility and good users of the round ball,” she said.