This is a warning to every team that has to face Tommy Walsh this year; he’s bigger, stronger and fitter than he was in 2009.
The 26-year-old is getting ready to don the green and gold of Kerry once again after a five-year spell playing Aussie Rules for St Kilda and Sydney Swans. The Kerins O’Rahilly’s man quit the AFL and life as a professional sportsman in late 2014 to return home to Kerry and he’ll now try and add to his tally of one All-Ireland with his native county achieved in 2009.
Speaking at today’s Lucozade Sport Kit-Out Project, the forward admits that the previous Christmas at home had convinced him that he wanted to put an end to his time in Australia:
‘When I was back last Christmas that’s when it first came in about really coming back and that this was probably going to be the last year. I just kinda went along with things during the year to see how things went and then it was probably July or August that I made up my mind that I was definitely coming back.’
Walsh initially signed for St Kilda and then transferred to Sydney where he was almost a Grand Final winner before suffering an horrendous injury to his hamstring that ruled him out of action for almost 12 months. Many players would be frustrated at having thrown in a life as an emerging GAA star to see their professional dreams almost destroyed by injury. However, Walsh is relaxed about how his time in Australia finished,
‘I am coming back over here with no regrets over what happened whatsoever. As much as I would like to have played more games over there, I definitely don’t have any regrets about the way things went. I had been lucky up to then in my career and even since with injuries I haven’t had any serious ones. You see other guys and they do their knees and shoulders and that kind of type of stuff. I would have preferred if I didn’t do it but that’s sport. It happens.’
He’s also ruled out a return to AFL and is very firm that his playing future will be very much in Ireland. Down’s Marty Clarke has gone between Ireland and Australia but Walsh is certain he’s home for good ‘I’m back to play sport here and to move on with my life here.’
The Kerryman has been back in training for the last number of weeks and has over half a dozen sessions completed with his new and some not so new teammates. Walsh has had little or no time in re-adjusting in a competitive environment as Kerry exited the McGrath cup at the very first round. How does he feel he is prepared if called upon on Sunday in the opening Allianz league game against Mayo?
‘I still have a lot of work to do in terms of touch and just getting my head back into the game, but I feel ready to play a game, yeah.
I feel pretty fit and feel that I am able to cover the ground OK, but it will just be about getting my touch back and my kicking as well and hopefully that will come as well once the games start. I would love to be playing but that’s completely up to Éamonn.
Though he’s has been away from the heart of inter county action for five years, he’s well aware of the threat of Mayo as well as Dubin in trying to wrest the All-Ireland away from the south-west. He admits the Connacht side will probably have revenge in mind for events last autumn in the Gaelic Grounds when the sides clash this Sunday in Killarney
‘We know Mayo are coming down and with what happened in Limerick probably in the back of their heads so it’s going to be an intense match and one the lads are really looking forward to. I’ve been away for a long time so its hard to judge but Dublin obviously and Cork will be tough. There’s lot of opposition but we’re not looking at the championship just yet. The first game for Kerry is on Sunday and that’s the focus.’
‘What they are looking for is skillful fit players that are quick, that’s probably what they’re focusing on. For every three or four going over every year, there’s probably three coming back so the numbers have been steady in my time there. It depends on the individual if you want to go or not and it was always be around the five, six, seven mark every year.’
The 26-year-old rejoins Kerry just months after their All-Ireland success, and with expectation that the player will slot right back into the Kingdom system as either a forward or at midfield. His return,along with that of Colm Cooper from injury, has seen Kerry installed as firm favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. But like a good Kerryman Walsh plays down what his impact may be within Eamon Fitzmaurice ‘s side
‘If I was concerning myself with outside talk I might as well give up now. I can’t let it affect me. As a team there will be expectation as Kerry are All-Ireland champions but you can’t get frustrated . You have to work hard, if not harder than the year before to get back there again. There probably will be expectations on me but I can’t get frustrated by that. I’ve to go out and work as hard as I can and develop as quickly as I can. I have to be patient as well.’
Walsh will no doubt see plenty of action in the coming weeks but he started his first football game in five years when he lined out for ‘Rahilly’s against their Tralee rivals Austin Stacks last Saturday night. Stacks are of course going for All Ireland club glory this year and Walsh admits he there is an excitement in at least one half of Tralee ahead of next month’s semi finals.
‘It is great and with Crokes going so well it’s great to have a Tralee team competing at that level. In as much as I would prefer it to be my club, it’s great for the town, it’s great for Tralee football. I’ll be wishing them the best on the 15th.’
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