Messages

Some f**king hit alright.
He may have went off for a bit, but it shows him coming running back onto the pitch.

If that hit had happend in the International Series there would be lads calling for jail, or at least a lifetime ban. Shows the difference between the sports

absolutley Fullback, the Oz Rules players must have a short career can't see you putting your body through that abuse for 10 or more years 

Just out of interest what length is a career in AR? What sort of money would they make there, the average player not just the top earners?

If you make the first team regularly odds are you would be on atleast $150,000 (Australian). The top players can earn up too $900,000 a year. Kennelly would easily be on $300,000 (probably more) while Clarke is probably earning alot less. His salary will increase alot next time he negotiates his contract as when he negotiated his current contract he was only a potential star and wasnt actually playing AFL football, now he is a regular first team member and is looking like a very good player. As for your other question a player will usually begin his AFL career around 19 and finish anywhere inbetween 32 and 38 depending on the player.

[Rafferty's rules on Ireland raids]

Rafferty's rules on Ireland raids

SYDNEY star Tadhg Kennelly has backed claims by his coach, Paul Roos, that the failing relationship between the AFL and Gaelic Athletic Association could prompt wholesale recruiting from Ireland.

The success of Kennelly, a 2005 premiership player with the Swans, and the outstanding debut season of Collingwood's Irish teenager Marty Clarke has revived interest in taking young players from Gaelic football.

Roos claimed this week that the breakdown between the GAA and the AFL over the GAA's refusal to play an international rules series this year could prompt a mass recruiting drive by Australian clubs to get around the AFL's highly restrictive draft.

The GAA suspended the successful series because of claims that AFL players were too violent.

A meeting called for October to discuss the future of the series will be used by the GAA to raise concerns about the AFL taking Ireland's best young talent.

"Now the relationship's gone a bit sour over the international rules, it's going to give clubs here open slather (for recruiting in Ireland)," Kennelly, 26, said yesterday.

"It's sad and you just wonder what the GAA can do to stop it. When you're losing the best players it's not good for the game, but I don't really know what the answer is. What can they do?"

The AFL has a strong profile in Ireland following Kennelly's part in the Swans' 2005 premiership campaign, and Kennelly claims interest has risen even more since Clarke exploded on to the scene with the Magpies just a year after leaving home.

"The more (Irish) success there is here the more the drive is going to be to get that extra player from Ireland," Kennelly said.

"It could be a big issue. It could become a big, big problem if you had 16 clubs doing it every year.

"It hasn't come to that yet, but I'm sure it will if players like Clarkey keep coming off and being successful so quickly. Clubs could go 'gee, whiz, we want one of him'.

"It's hard to say. It depends if the success rate of players coming out here continues."

The Swans now get "loads" of Gaelic players contacting the club looking for a chance in the AFL.

"The difference is being able to earn a livelihood. At home they don't," Kennelly said.

"They have to work Monday to Friday and train three or four nights a week.

"The training they do is just as much as what we do but they don't get paid to do it. It's pretty tough on the families.

"Families do take a back seat. You do need a good support network at home. You have to have a very understanding wife.

"A lot of players at home retire young because they can't handle it, especially if they're self-employed. It's very hard to try and run a business. You just don't have the time. It's pretty sad.

"The club is always getting letters and e-mails asking 'have a look at me', but Stuart Maxfield and Ricky Barham in recruitment really know what they want.

"I've talked to a lot of (Gaelic) footballers while playing international rules. The problem is you won't get a player to come over once they're 20 because they're settled."

After being spotted by Swans recruiting manager Barham playing for an Ireland under-aged team, Kennelly arrived in Australia almost eight years ago not really believing he would make it in the AFL.

He was keen to learn as much as he could so it would make him a better Gaelic footballer.

Now one of the stars of the AFL dashing off half-back for the Swans, Kennelly wants to return one day and win an All Ireland medal playing with his county, Carey. But that won't be at least until 2010, when his contract runs out.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22174751-23211,00.html

[AFL poachers worry Irish]

AFL poachers worry Irish

ANGER is brewing in Ireland as AFL clubs step up poaching raids on young Gaelic stars.

Brisbane Lions is leading the charge, approaching towering teenage Carlow midfield player Brendan Murphy.

Murphy has confirmed he is willing to travel to Australia for a post-season trial with the Lions.

Spurred by the instant success of Gaelic convert Martin Clarke at Collingwood, other clubs are also circling.

County Meath stars Shane O'Rourke and Kevin Reilly and Laois full forward Conor Meredith have also attracted attention.

County boards in Ireland are becoming increasingly restless about the threat of losing their best talent.

Poaching is likely to become the hottest issue when the GAA and AFL meet in October - overtaking the future of the International Rules Series.

GAA secretary of County Carlow, Tommy O'Neill, said last night it would be "heart-wrenching" if Murphy was lured to the AFL.

Murphy, a 194cm 18-year-old, is considered the most exciting young talent in Ireland. His loss would be a huge blow to the county, which has a population of only 35,000.

"He's very good. He was in the Leinster Final for us over here a couple of weeks ago and he was best player on the field by a mile," O'Neill said. "He's very slight, but full of skill - left foot and right foot.

"It's one of the downsides over here of guys being so good that they're being looked at. It is heart-wrenching here, because we're small."

Lions football manager Graeme Allan and recruiting manager Craig Brittain recently returned from a talent-spotting trip to Ireland and Murphy is the No.1 priority.

"Yes, we have invited him over to have a look at our facilities and spend some time over here," Brisbane chief executive Michael Bowers said last night.

And the Lions, convinced Ireland is a fertile recruiting ground, is poised to invite others for testing.

"There are a couple of other people we've talked to and said 'you should pop over and say hello'," Bowers said.

Although some in Ireland encourage the Australian adventure, there is growing resistance.

Gaelic football's ruling body, the GAA, does not want recruiting to become a free-for-all with ad-hoc trials and camps.

The Lions narrowly lost Clarke to Collingwood and two years ago lured Colm Begley and Brendan Quigley.

Quigley returned home, but Begley played a part in Brisbane's demolition of Collingwood on Saturday night.

Reilly, 19, is believed to be strongly in Brisbane's sights. He played on Sydney's Barry Hall during last year's International Rules series and is understood to be keen for a trial.

Under AFL rules, clubs can select Irish players as international rookies - as long as they have turned 18.

Sydney coach Paul Roos yesterday predicted recruiting would flourish with International Rules now in recess.

"If the series doesn't go ahead I would say that the wealthier clubs will put a lot of resources into Ireland," Roos said.

The changes in AFL to a more running-style game has opened the door and made it more attractive for the amateur gaelic players, with five already with AFL clubs.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22163117-23211,00.html

First off i am Australian and a Sydney Swans supporter. Tadhg Kennelly is a great player and in my personal opinion he is one of the most important players on the field. Tadhg Kennelly has signed a contract so he will play to the end of the 2009 season and then he has publically said that he is going back to Ireland to play for his club (Down i think?). If you introduced a rule where any Irishman who played AFL would be banned from Gaelic Football then players like Kennelly could not return to play for the gaelick club. On another nnote i have great respect for Gaelic Football as AFL wouldnt be around if it wasnt for your sport but in saying that you cannot expect young Irish talent to stay in Ireland in a league which isnt professional when they have the opportunity to be played hundreds of thousands of dollars playing professional sport. Im sure ideally they would love to stay in Ireland and play the sport they grew up with but as im sure you will all agree money is a big motivater and most sportsmen will go where they will earn the most money. There is only 1 way i can think of for limiting the amount of Irish talent going to Australia and that is International Rules Football as from my memory the AFL and GAA had a deal where the AFL would only take 1 or 2 players a year. Since that international series died it has become a free for all in regards to how many Gaelic Football players the AFL teams want to poach and believe me, the AFL is very keen on quite afew young Gaelic players as they can potentially get a great player with little to no risk. Irish players are not apart of the national drafting system so AFL teams dont need to waste draft picks on untested players and the AFL teams also dont have to pay any kind of transfer fee. With the success of players like Clarke and Kennelly then poaching is likely to continue.