Return to North Melbourne demands another shift in gear for multi-talented Wall

Vikki Wall's decision to move back to North Melbourne is understandable.

She clearly loves life in Australia and her involvement with a professional Aussie Rules set-up - and why wouldn't she.

Lovely weather, nice lifestyle, paid to play football. Perfect.

Wall, who is 26, will rejoin the North Melbourne set-up again and get ready for the new AFLW season which is set to begin on Friday, 30th August - and she will return a better player, a more experienced player after suffering a bitter disappointment.

Her ambition to be part of the Irish Women's Sevens team for the Paris Olympics fell short.

It would have been another notable achievement in a career that includes two All-Ireland SFC medals won with Meath. She also won the overall GAA player of the year award in 2021.

Two years ago Wall signed for North Melbourne and clearly made an impression in Aussue Rules. She then returned home and signed a contract with the IRFU and became part of the Rugby Sevens squad.

After missing out on the selection for Paris, Wall did return briefly to the Meath camp and came on at half-time against Kerry in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final a few weeks ago but she couldn't prevent the Royals falling to a disappointing defeat.

So now, with the agreement of the IRFU, Wall will return to North Melbourne - and will do so chastened by the disappointment of not making the Olympics.

Such a setback is likely to make her even more determined to make an impact Down Under.

As always in professional sport, however, there will be challenges. Big challenges.

Moving from one code to another can't be easy especially playing at the levels she performs at. After concentrating on rugby for much of the past year she now has to turn her attentions back to the particular demands of Aussie Rules.

In December she is due to return into the Irish Sevens set-up and that will require yet another transition.

We have all heard of dual players but the Dunboyne woman is taking that concept to a whole new level.

And she also hasn't given up on turning out for Meath again sometime in the future.

If and when she does decide to the Royal County ranks she will be, no doubt, be warmly welcomed back into the fold.