Vikki Wall keeping Royal focus ahead of move Down Under

The opportunity of a lifetime beckons for Vikki Wall, but the immediate future is all matters Meath.

The reigning Footballer of the Year will join North Melbourne when the All-Ireland title holders exit this year's championship, joining the growing ranks of Irish players in the AFLW.

The powerful forward, who picked off a point in the comfortable win over Monaghan last weekend in the opening game of their All-Ireland series, is looking forward to the new challenge on the horizon, but insists it has made her appreciate the current campaign even more.

It's exciting to be challenging myself in a different way. To be a complete newbie in a sport. It’s a challenge to see how I will adapt to a new sport and hopefully do well in it.

"At the moment my focus is on Meath," she said at the launch of AIG’s new For Times Like These campaign. "There are touch points with AFLW, but at the moment I am more focused on the round ball.

"I was here for the league and I didn’t want to be leaving half way through and not seeing out the season. It has probably made me appreciate the season much more.

When news of the move was confirmed last month, Meath boss Eamonn Murray was vocal in his criticism of the sport.

"I don’t know how many more we’ll lose. I don’t know why you’d want to play that sport because it’s dreadful stuff to watch. I can’t understand it. There’s no skill at all."

Wall insists that Murray, like her team-mates has been supportive of the decision to leave for Australia and says there was no conversation had to discuss his outspoken views.

"No, not at all. Maybe Eamonn’s comments were a bit stretched, but I have a great relationship with him and he always wants what is best for us as players.

"He has been really supportive of my decision