When St Kilda sent a Sherrin over to Clara Fitzpatrick after she had hastily returned to her native Ireland at the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020, there wasn’t the faintest idea that it would take almost 18 months to make its way back home.

Likewise, the now-31-year-old inaugural Saint never imagined it would take so long to return to Australia and resume her AFLW career. 

Fitzpatrick had established herself as St Kilda's full-back during its first year in the AFLW competition, lining up for five matches before the season was abruptly cut short midway through as the pandemic tightened its grip on the world.

Three-and-a-half years of memories from her time in Melbourne were forced to be wound up in three days; possessions jammed into a suitcase and flown with Fitzpatrick to the other side of the world with no certainty on a return date.

That well-travelled Sherrin which followed shortly after – completely foreign in the Gaelic-dominated Ireland – was a clear reminder of what was waiting for her Down Under, but the more time that passed, the less likely a comeback to the Saints appeared.

Two missed AFLW seasons – the first due to VISA issues compounded by COVID-19 and the second following her third ACL rupture – only furthered that narrative, but against all odds, Fitzpatrick is back in red, white and black for Season 7.

“The plan I suppose always on the backburner was to come back at some stage, if life all worked out and the option was still there. Thankfully everything did,” Fitzpatrick told saints.com.au.

“It was very rushed when I left in March 2020, packed up all of our lives on the Wednesday and was on a flight back to Ireland on the Sunday. We all had no idea what would come next.

“I wasn’t too sure what way it was going with the pandemic, but I’m very glad to be back.”

The chatter around Fitzpatrick pulling on the tricolours once again continued to bubble away in her absence, even with a changeover in the senior coaching and Head of AFLW roles through Nick Dal Santo and Tessie McManus respectively.

Conversations ramped up at the start of this year before the repatriation to Australia was made official in June.

True to the Saints’ long-running objective of bringing the key defender back into the fold, Fitzpatrick’s No. 24 guernsey, which she had worn in her maiden campaign, remained untouched for the two seasons she was gone.

“The fact the club’s intention was to bring me back… so they didn’t have anyone wear the No. 24 during those two seasons I was gone, it was very special,” Fitzpatrick said.

“To me there was no other club I was going for, it was just tunnel vision for St Kilda.

“Sometimes I was thinking I wasn’t even going to get back across to Australia, ‘will I, or won’t I?’, but it was amazing to pull the jumper back on and I’m just grateful to get the opportunity again.”

A lot has changed from a personnel perspective since Fitzpatrick last came through RSEA Park’s halls.

Eighteen players from the club’s inaugural season in 2020 have moved on during the two seasons spent in Ireland, a further five came and went without ever meeting her, while Dal Santo and McManus head up the football program in place of Peta Searle and Jamie Cox respectively.

While there are 18 new teammates for Fitzpatrick to get acquainted with for Season 7, the code convert feels she isn’t walking into a place completely different to the one she unexpectedly departed two years ago.

“There’s a couple… actually a lot of new faces since I’ve been here, but I’m really loving being back and very thankful and grateful to be back,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I’ve been watching the girls over the last couple of seasons too back home when watching the games through the AFLW app, so it felt like I knew a lot of them even though I hadn’t met them.”

Among the new faces is fellow Irish import Grace Kelly, who has formed a fast friendship with Fitzpatrick after the former collected her up from the airport a few weeks ago.

“When I heard there was another Irish girl coming in, I was absolutely delighted… finally someone who’ll be able to understand me!” Fitzpatrick laughed.

“Grace has slotted in no problems at all. Coming from a different club can be quite daunting as well, but she just came and slotted right in here. I can't wait to play with her this year.”

Most Thursday evenings, it’s almost a certainty to spot Fitzpatrick, Kelly and honorary Irishwoman Erin McKinnon at St Kilda’s The Fifth Province for steak night.

But seeing Fitzpatrick line up in the defensive end come Season 7 is just as much of a lock.