Leading GAA official calls for AFL compensation as more emerging stars ponder switch
A top Kerry official has revealed that AFL scouts have approached seven more young players from the county - and called for the GAA to take action.
Rob Monahan (Carlton) and Cillian Burke (Geelong) have already signed for Australian Rules sides, with Kerry Chairman Patrick O’Sullivan stating that seven more rising Kingdom prospects had also been contacted with a view to a move.
O’Sullivan called on the GAA to set up a committee on the matter and put procedures in place to compensate clubs and counties for the loss of the players.
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He said that representatives of AFL clubs are “constantly floating around Kerry minor and under-20 teams," and called on the GAA to take action against “the constant scrutiny of our young stars in Ireland.”
Speaking to the Kerry GAA convention at the Rose Hotel (Tralee), O’Sullivan tackled a burning issue in the Kingdom. Kerry have lost some huge players to AFL sides over the years, including Premiership winner Mark O’Connor to Geelong.
O’Connor is one of two Kerry men to win a Premiership, with Tadhg Kennelly the first Irish player to achieve the feat.
“Procedure will have to be put in place where players cannot be taken without contributing to the club and counties who give so much to the development of these players,” said O’Sullivan.
“They come selling a professional sport to our younger players. It is hard for young players not to look at a professional career in sport.
“If our younger players keep emigrating to Australia the outlook for Kerry senior teams going forward will not be a good one.
“Kerry players are at the heart and soul of our county and we have to figure out a method of retaining and keeping our players at home in Ireland.
“We in Kerry aren’t the only county suffering from this issue. There are players from other counties choosing to emigrate as well. We will be calling on the GAA to form a committee to look into this matter.”
With speculation that the International Rules series may be back on the agenda again, having not been played since 2017, it could give the GAA some leverage.
But other than some form of financial compensation, it is unclear how clubs and counties can be placated.
Currently there are 13 Irish players with AFL sides after the recent signings of Burke (Kerry and Geelong) and Eamonn Armstrong (Meath and St. Kilda).
The highest number of Irish players on the books of AFL teams at any one time has been 18.
That number almost halved during Covid due to cost cutting measures by AFL clubs which saw salary caps, international recruitment freezes and players let go.
It is growing again though, but it is more the elite nature of the young players moving away from the GAA, rather than the numbers involved, that has some irked.
Karl Gallagher (Monaghan, Adelaide) signed up almost a year ago and since then Matt Duffy (Longford, Carlton), Rob Monahan (Kerry, Carlton) and Liam O’Connell (Cork, St. Kilda) have all made the move to Australia.
Tyrone’s Eoin McElholm could also follow, with Derry’s Eoin McEvoy also on a recent trial in Australia.
Some Irish players have left the AFL In recent months with Zach Tuohy retiring and Dublin man James Madden leaving Brisbane Lions to return home.
Brisbane also have Tyrone’s Conor McKenna and Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce, who recently signed a one year extension with the club, but hasn’t managed to establish himself as a regular.
Derry’s Callum Brown has made inroads at Great Western Sydney, while Meath’s Conor Nash has made it as a regular with Hawthorn and looks set for a long career in the AFL.
Mark O’Connor (Kerry) and Oisin Mullin (Mayo) are at Geelong, where Burke has joined them.
The other Irish man in the AFL is Mark Keane (Cork and Adelaide), who made big strides this year, establishing himself as a regular with the Crows.
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