Shields going to Carlton preseason training

[TBT]

Ciaran Sheehan, one of the best underage players Cork have produced in a long while has also agreed to join Carlton after his leaving cert.


Having already lured the AFL's No. 1 player, Chris Judd, and secured a prized priority draft pick, the Blues have adopted a recruiting system in Ireland akin to the old form-four deals to persuade talented Gaelic footballers to commit to the Blues.

Carlton has also convinced 2007 all-Ireland finalist Michael Shields, 20, to fly to Melbourne next month to spend a pre-season with the Blues with a view to placing him on the senior list.

Carlton football operations manager Steven Icke flew into Dublin last night and was scheduled to meet the four junior Gaelic footballers, offering them $1600 apiece on the condition they choose the Blues should they decide to try to make the grade in AFL football.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, who last week met a delegation from the Gaelic Athletic Association in Paris in a bid to resurrect the International Rules series, said he was unaware of the Blues' Irish assault but believed there were no rules to prevent it.

"I wasn't aware they were doing it but there is nothing in our rules that precludes this," Demetriou said.

"At the moment the AFL apprenticeship scheme, which can lead to overseas-scholarship players coming into the AFL does not include Ireland but this is different."

Carlton is understood to have spoken to four teenagers aged between 16 and 17 from four counties — Galway, Cork, Laois and Armagh. All four have been outstanding junior players identified by the Blues' Irish recruiting consultant Gerard Sholly.

Icke and Carlton's new coach Brett Ratten left Italy yesterday following a fact-finding tour of high-profile European club Juventus with Ratten heading home to Melbourne and Icke completing the Irish deal.

The move could cause consternation in Ireland, which two years ago was threatening to call off the international rules series as a result of AFL clubs luring marquee players away from the local competition to Australia. However, a sense of inevitability appears to have prevailed over the GAA with Shields the fourth Gaelic footballer heading to AFL pre-season training this year.

Already Brendan Murphy, 18, has committed to the Sydney Swans with teenager Pierce Handley flying to train with Brisbane next month and Collingwood securing Kevin Dyass.

Not only is the international recruiting system another way of securing players outside the draft but the cultural similarities between the two countries, the athletic talent of leading Gaelic footballers and the lack of transfer fees makes the system even more attractive.

Carlton was famous for luring players from around Australia as a VFL club in the early 80s, securing Craig Bradley, Stephen Kernahan and Peter Motley.

The money that changes hands with the Irish teenagers will be used to assist them in schooling and training.

The Brisbane Lions, meanwhile, looks certain to have reached an agreement with the disgruntled Jared Brennan and is expected to re-sign him on a three-year deal.

[ykickamoocow]

The trickle of Irish players coming to the AFL is now turning into a flood.

[orangeman]

I just feel sorry for his club who I'm sure were hoping for great things from him in the future - by the way, any word on Billy Morgan ?

[TBT]

Well if he does get a contract over there it will be a huge blow for Cork football as he'd be seen as the lynch pin of the defence for the next decade. It also could see a broadening of the age profile of the recruits that the Aussies are targeting. Any good 21/22 yr old was up to now deemed to be too old He club, 'Barrs, ahve just been relegated and this would totally knock the stuffing out of them.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Carlton is understood to have spoken to four teenagers aged between 16 and 17 from four counties — Galway, Cork, Laois and Armagh

Hmmmm. The Galway lad must be someone from this year's All-Ireland winning minor team. Maybe midfielder Paul Conroy? Would seem the best bet in terms of what those AFL scouts usually look for. Tall, mobile, good athlete, etc.

[inisceithleann]

Lads the time has come for the GAA to stand up and be bold and demand compensation for these players. I know we are an amateur organisation, but the Aussies have got to be laughing at our organisations vulnerability here.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

For an organisation that originally shared the same values as the gaa and built up a close relationship on the basis of that the aussies are starting to take the mickey. From the gaa point of view this is starting to get very worrying. The gaa does lose players to soccer and rugby but usually at a much earlier age. These lads are boys who have been coached for hundreds of hours and are on the verge on becoming big players for their counties. County football football will be be a lot worse of if the best players from each county are missing. If boys like McGeeney and Dara O'Se hadnt played for their counties theyd have been a lot worse of this last 10 years. One can only imagine how much damage the loss of Martin Clarke has done for Down. The aussies put nothing into these lads development but expect a free ride after the gaa has put so much energy into developing them as athletes/players.

[inisceithleann]

Amatuerism is at the heart of the GAA but not allowing foreign sports to be played in our grounds was as well at one point and we changed our stance regards this as well. If this means we have to pay the top county players and make them semi pro then lets do it, to at least try and slow down this migation to Australia.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Well you cant blame a GAA player for trying out professionally with Aussie Rules....we had rules when the compromise rules was in place but we didn't obey them and complained...If I was a young gaa player i would go to aus...

[GaillimhIarthair]

Cork star Shields dismisses AFL move talk


CORK football star Michael Shields last night dismissed Australian media claims he is to join AFL side Carlton.


The St Finbarr's clubman, who won an All-Ireland U-21 medal earlier this season, said the Melbourne outfit had contacted him but added that there had been "no firm offer" of a contract from them.

Said Shields: "Carlton were on to me, but they haven't offered me anything concrete.

"I got a phone call from Carlton about a month ago and I met up with them a couple of weeks ago. But there's been no contact since then — there was no firm offer or anything.

"The last I heard from them was that meeting a couple of weeks ago and there's been nothing since.

"I'm surprised to hear anything else about it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm working away in college the whole time."

The Melbourne Age, also reported that The Blues were also engaged in secret talks with four teenagers, from Galway, Cork, Laois and Armagh who were recommended by the clubs' Irish recruiting consultant Gerard Sholly.

Australian sources explain that the club are to offer the players AUS$1,600 (€1,000) to ensure that they have first refusal of them if and when they every decide to try for a career in Aussie Rules.

It also claimed that Carlton football operations manager Steven Icke flew into Dublin this week to meet the four teenagers.

The Melbourne outfit are no strangers to poaching Irish talent with former Cork hurlers Setanta and Aisake Ó hAilpín, two previous high-profile signings.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, who met GAA chiefs last week in a bid to resurrect the International Rules series, said he was unaware of the Blues' Irish assault.

But he stressed there were no rules to prevent it.

"I wasn't aware they were doing it but there is nothing in our rules that precludes this," Demetriou said. "At the moment the AFL apprenticeship scheme, which can lead to overseas-scholarship players coming into the AFL does not include Ireland but this is different."

Commenting on the suggestion that clubs were willing to offer players money, the GAA's Head of Games Pat Daly said: "I haven't heard about it myself until now but, even though Demetriou might be saying no rules are being broken, it is important is that there is transparency between the two governing bodies and standards. Things have to be done in the proper way.

"I'm not sure this is the way to do business. It is contrary to the way we do business but it is a free world and if players want to go over to Australia and try their hand at it that is their decision."

Daly's primary concern is for the welfare of players.

"We have seen time and again players going over to England to play soccer and being thrown on the scrapheap by clubs. I'm not suggesting that is the case here but it is important that the players are looked after.

"They are the priority here and some mechanism needs to be worked out between the two governing bodies to ensure that their best interests are taken care of. It isn't rocket science but that isn't to say that it will happen either.

[blueboy]

Anyone know who the Galway, Laois, Armagh and Cork (Sheehan) teenagers are? It'd be interesting to know who the game is about to lose.

[Smokin Joe]

I presume the Armagh player mentioned is Kevin Dyas - he has already joined them, but he would be older than the 17-18 age bracket that is quoted in the article.

[zoyler]

Dyas has joined Collingwood - so its not him.  These are amueter players - the GAA do not own them and they can make up there own minds.

[the Deel Rover]

Dyas has joined Collingwood - so its not him.  These are amueter players - the GAA do not own them and they can make up there own minds.

Your spot on there Zoyler, the Gaa can't have it the best of both worlds. I had to laugh the other week when Nicky Brennan was saying that they might have to look in to the club getting compensated in future if this continues. How on earth could he be serious the clubs don't own the players thats the point of been an amatuer organisation.If a young lad is given the opputunity to play professional sport in another country fair play to him. 

[Jinxy]

Schoolboy soccer clubs don't own their players either yet some of them see a tidy return as their players get signed to a club in England. I don't see what the problem is. Each player that signs on with an AFL club stipulates in the contract that x amount of dollars go to his local club. It wouldn't be taken out of his pocket. It would be a one off payment or even performance related, so that if someone goes on to be a superstar the club could get a nice few bob out of it. You have to understand that the place is going to be swarming with AFL scouts as it is a no-brainer to recruit Irish lads. They are outside the salary cap (they'll get paid f*ck all anyway) and they are outside the national draft so at the moment as far as the aussies are concerned, hunting season is well and truly open with no bag limit. There has to be some form of regulation.