Not content with stealing out best underage GAA footballers the AFL are now coming after our young hurlers, the flamin’ galahs
Tadhg Kennelly is back in Ireland for a nice Christmas break in his native Listowel and he’s also sniffing around for some top class GAA talent to maybe bring back to Australia with him in the New Year.
The AFL talent manager held a two-day trial at DCU over the weekend with a number of the country’s most promising GAA players involved as well as a Dane and an English youngster.
The hopefuls, who ranged in ages from 16-20, were tested in a series of drills measuring their athletic and psychological abilities.
Among those who tried out were Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce who captained the county’s minors to success in September as well as Kerry’s All-Ireland minor winner Mikey Burns.
The younger brother of Kieran Joyce is reported to have impressed coaches with his awareness in match situations and his physical power.
That’s despite only playing Gaelic Football with his school Good Counsel in Wexford and none at all at club level.
We do have to say that their system of measurement doesn’t look too scientific:
Kennelly told the AFL website ‘The combine has been a huge success. It’s well resourced, we’re getting great results, and I’m sure we’ll get one, maybe two players recruited next year.’
Irish players have had a mixed time of it recently Down Under with Tommy Walsh and Martin Clarke now back at home after disappointing spells in Australia.
However, Tyrone’s Conor McKenna as well as Sean Hurley from Kildare have both signed up to Essendon and Fremantle respectively in recent months.
One of the stars of the trials was a Dane by the name of Mikkel Kjoege who managed a vertical leap of 84cm, four cm short of a record held by American Marvin Baynham.
However, just two of those involved at the weekend will go forward to a NAB AFL Draft Combine in early 2015.
A Kilkenny man in the AFL. It might just happen. Although we imagine it would cause quite a stir on Noreside.
H/t to AFL
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