Meath's demise

[Ohtoohtobe]

So now it turns out Conor Nash is going to the AFL after signing with Hawthorns for two years.

Well all I can say is SHIT. 

Best of luck to him all the same but we certainly could have done with him. Would have been hard with both the AFL and Leinster Rugby after him too.

Very difficult for any young fella not to have a crack at being a professional athlete - hard to blame him and all you can do is wish him the very best of luck - its a wonderful opportunity.

Everyone says this, but I'm starting to question the wisdom of it. The money isn't hectic, the lifestyle is strict, and a tiny fraction of them ever play an AFL game. I'm not sure the opportunity is as wonderful or the decision as clearcut as people make it out to be.

The vast majority of them end up struggling in VFL in front of a couple of thousand people - is that really so much better than playing for your county in Croke Park?

The standard 2 year international rookie contract all the Irish guys are getting is worth €110k over 2 years and that's with accommodation and car paid for plus a number of return flights to Ireland.
For a young lad of 19/20/21 that's seriously decent money especially considering that it's guaranteed pretty much for showing up.

If they get a senior contract, the wages go up and the average Aussie rules annual contract is worth over €200k a year with some of the very top earners are not far off the €1,000,000 a year mark.
Aussie rules has a draft system and salary caps so overall it's fairly clear what sort of money the players are getting.

Last time I checked the minimum for rookies was about $35,000 a year, which is 25,000 euro. Granted that's a few years ago, but still ... where did you get the 55,000 euro a year figure?  That would be $80,000, about double what they have to pay them. Doesn't sound right, maybe you're confusing rookies with draftees? Or maybe you're factoring in the flights, etc?
As for what established AFL players make, yeah, four players make more than $1m a year. Think the average salary is $300,000, or 210,000 euro. Not bad coin, I'll grant you, but I'd estimate that 90% or Irish recruits won't make it that far.

I'm just saying, there seems to be a reflex among everyone that life as an Aussie Rules rookie is fantastic. I live in Australia and I don't think the choice facing these lads is as simple as it's made out to be.

[Jinxy]

I assume Hawthorn are one of the manliest teams in the AFL.

[seafoid]

I assume Hawthorn are one of the manliest teams in the AFL.

Managed by Eddie Keher

[twohands!!!]

So now it turns out Conor Nash is going to the AFL after signing with Hawthorns for two years.

Well all I can say is SHIT. 

Best of luck to him all the same but we certainly could have done with him. Would have been hard with both the AFL and Leinster Rugby after him too.

Very difficult for any young fella not to have a crack at being a professional athlete - hard to blame him and all you can do is wish him the very best of luck - its a wonderful opportunity.

Everyone says this, but I'm starting to question the wisdom of it. The money isn't hectic, the lifestyle is strict, and a tiny fraction of them ever play an AFL game. I'm not sure the opportunity is as wonderful or the decision as clearcut as people make it out to be.

The vast majority of them end up struggling in VFL in front of a couple of thousand people - is that really so much better than playing for your county in Croke Park?

The standard 2 year international rookie contract all the Irish guys are getting is worth €110k over 2 years and that's with accommodation and car paid for plus a number of return flights to Ireland.
For a young lad of 19/20/21 that's seriously decent money especially considering that it's guaranteed pretty much for showing up.

If they get a senior contract, the wages go up and the average Aussie rules annual contract is worth over €200k a year with some of the very top earners are not far off the €1,000,000 a year mark.
Aussie rules has a draft system and salary caps so overall it's fairly clear what sort of money the players are getting.

Last time I checked the minimum for rookies was about $35,000 a year, which is 25,000 euro. Granted that's a few years ago, but still ... where did you get the 55,000 euro a year figure?  That would be $80,000, about double what they have to pay them. Doesn't sound right, maybe you're confusing rookies with draftees? Or maybe you're factoring in the flights, etc?
As for what established AFL players make, yeah, four players make more than $1m a year. Think the average salary is $300,000, or 210,000 euro. Not bad coin, I'll grant you, but I'd estimate that 90% or Irish recruits won't make it that far.

I'm just saying, there seems to be a reflex among everyone that life as an Aussie Rules rookie is fantastic. I live in Australia and I don't think the choice facing these lads is as simple as it's made out to be.

It was in an article in one of Irish papers within the last year or two with Tadhg Kennelly about what was on offer for Irish recruits. It was clearly about what was on offer for the Irish lads from day one.

I agree with you that on the fact that these lads could well have an overly idealistic view of what way life is like for rookies. Could easily end up being very isolated where you're competing to make it against other new recruits with very little in the way of support structures especially if things aren't going well at the club.
I do think the GAA should have some sort of system for lads who are considering going to talk with the lads who went and came back as these lads are likely to give a fairly realistic view of what it's like warts and all.

[LilySavage]

Dan Flynn wasnt up for it despite breaking into Port Adelaides first team in 2014. Depends very much on each individual. Cant cure homesickness with a few bob.

[Jinxy]

Worst case scenario for him it's a 2 year working holiday in a part of the world where he may have headed at some point anyway.
If it works out for him great.
If it doesn't, and provided he doesn't come back riddled with injuries, we'll have an athletic 20/21 year old midfielder who will have had two years of professional  S&C that's light years ahead of what he would get here.
Then again, if he does come back I hope Leinster rugby don't come looking for him!
Either way, best of luck to him.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[muppet]

I assume Hawthorn are one of the manliest teams in the AFL.

Manly would be the manliest. 

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

The JCB's are rolling in to Pairc Tailteann soon to start tearing down the place if the stories coming out from the final are true. Talk of a 25,000 to 30,000 capacity ground to be built. Exact amount of funding coming from GAA is unknown to the public at large. Outline permission for a new stand was granted in 2012 but a quick scan of the Meath CC website has no mention of a full application being granted permission.

All a bit of a mystery but sure what do you expect.

In fairness Navan has great potential to be made into a nice ground. Two stands similar to what Armagh's Athletic Grounds (maybe steeper as I love the steepness of the current shed) coupled with bowled terracing at each end similar to Páirc Uí Chaoimh would work grand. There is good space there and the location isn't bad.
The only thing missing would be supporters but maybe Dublin could play a couple of home games there to please their ex pats.

[Ohtoohtobe]

LilyS, don't think Dan was anywhere near the Port Adelaide team. Twohands, yeah, that figure seems high to me, would like to find out for sure.

[thejuice]

So,

Conor Nash gone to AFL
Conor Gillespies career over almost as soon as it started
Harry Rooney has dropped off the panel to go live in New York.

Three of the most promising prospects for Meaths future that we'll have to do without. At least Harry can come back if he's up for it.

One positive is that there is a chance Shane O'Rourke might make it back on the panel after a stand out season for Simonstown. He's got picked for Leinster too but not sure what to make of that.

[Buttofthehill]

Quick questions-did Colm O'Rourke ever manage Skryne? Was it ever expected that Shane would play for them? Seemed like a very good prospect even if RTE did point out who his dad was every time he touched the ball.

[thejuice]

Colm played for Skryne but I don't think he ever managed them though I could be wrong about that.

Shane was a nice player and could be effective if he was given the right ball but often right kind of ball was in short supply, it was no good giving him a low pass or making him run for one. His back and hip might have been at him though at the time to be fair to him.

He might come back all the better for the time away from the county giving his body time to mend after all the surgery.

[seafoid]

Quick questions-did Colm O'Rourke ever manage Skryne? Was it ever expected that Shane would play for them? Seemed like a very good prospect even if RTE did point out who his dad was every time he touched the ball.

I think the son went to school in Simonstown and was part of a group of good young playersh as Colm would say. So he never played for Skryne. Colm had an articlé in the Sindo recently about the county final.

Is puke fuball one of the reasons Meath aRe in the doldrums? Down are also struggling.

[Rossfan]

Puke might be Down's downfall (sorry) but Meath's woes come from cleaning up the game.

[Jinxy]

Quick questions-did Colm O'Rourke ever manage Skryne? Was it ever expected that Shane would play for them? Seemed like a very good prospect even if RTE did point out who his dad was every time he touched the ball.

I think the son went to school in Simonstown and was part of a group of good young playersh as Colm would say. So he never played for Skryne. Colm had an articlé in the Sindo recently about the county final.

Is puke fuball one of the reasons Meath aRe in the doldrums? Down are also struggling.

Excellent point.
We're not shit now, football is.