Australian Rules Football Thread

[youbetterbelieveit]

Considering the amount of Irish players involved these days, and it is the beginning of pre-season at the moment, A sepearate thread I believe is necessary in order to keep up to date with all the news down under.
I came across a number of articles., will post them when I get a chance.
So the list is getting longer, and here it is at the minute.
IRISH PLAYERS IN THE AFL

BRISBANE LIONS
Colm Begley (played 19 games in 2007) - (Laois)
Pearce Hanley (international rookie 2008) - (Mayo)

CARLTON
Setanta O'hAilpin (22 games in 2007, 34 career games) - (Cork)
Aisake O'hAilpin (promoted to senior list) - (Cork)
Michael Shields (international rookie 2008) - (Cork)
Brendan Quigley (international rookie 2008 possibly) - (Laois)

COLLINGWOOD
Martin Clarke (12 games in 2007) - (Down)
Kevin Dyas (international rookie 2008) - (Armagh)

SYDNEY
Tadhg Kennelly (13 games in 2007, 136 career games) - (Kerry)
Brendan Murphy (international rookie 2008) - (Carlow)

[youbetterbelieveit]

Here are those links to some articles:
Irish arrive to try their luck by Karen Lyon.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/irish-arrive-to-try-their-luck/2007/11/10/1194329570223.html
Irishman poised to give AFL second try as a Blue which reports that Brendan Quigley, who tried out with Brisbane in 2005, may have another go with Carlton. http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/irishman-poised-to-join-blues/2007/11/03/1193619206127.html

[Shortso79]

When does the AFL season start and finish ?

[Rossfan]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

[hitzelsperger]

fair play to all the lads going down under to give AFL a go, it'll be tough for them for the first while getting to grips with the gruelling training schedule but most of these boys have a strong running game which will stand them in good stead.

Kenelly has laid the bench mark for all the lads to follow, he is probably now one of the best defenders in the game due to the fact that he can run the ball out of defence for 40 or 50m and take the pressure off.

Marty Clarke has had a massive first year so the pressure on him to perform in his 2nd season will be greater but the lad is capable of anything so i wouldn't rule out him recieving a few Brownlow votes in the up coming season.

Hope they all do well and even if it doesnt work im sure they'll come back better athletes which will be of benefit to their clubs and counties!

[dodo]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

Pierse Hanley wore the green and red of Mayo with pride and passion, playing minor, under 21 and senior for his county. Hopefully he will be seen again kicking an O'Neills ball in the plain of the yews.

[plain man]

When does the AFL season start and finish ?

The first games start with the NAB Pre-season Cup - starting on 9th February. And if anyone fancies seeing Marty Clarke (probably) or Kevin Dyas (hopefully) in action - Collingwood play Adelaide in DUBAI, in the opening match.

The Premeirship proper doesn't start until 20th March
full details here:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20642344-5011420,00.html

[cavan4ever]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

He must have wanted to play for mayo though, because you can play for the county you live in. 

[corn02]

Dyas has now travelled out to join his new team and they are heading to South Africa for a training camp. Irish interest will be the biggest ever this season with all the Irish players over there. Geelong look a class above on what I saw last year. This will be my first year following this terrific sport properly.

Up the Magpies!

[Aerlik]

Aside from our obvious interest in our countrymen coming over here to play, the big news this year has been the Ben Cousins story.  Don't want to go into it in great depth suffice to say he got mixed up with very dodgy characters in Perth and has ended up the arch-demon of the AFL following his meteoric rise to the status of pin-up boy/demii-god all due to his fondness for Meth-A/Cocaine and apparently horse tranquilizers.  (Apparently). 

I had my suspicions about him two years ago and have been proven right.  He's keeping Jeff Farmer (Freo) off the back page which can only be a good thing. 

G'wan the Wiz.

[Rossfan]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

He must have wanted to play for mayo though, because you can play for the county you live in. 

Not if you come from Ballaghadereen CO ROSCOMMON.
The Ballagh club remained affiliated to Co Mayo when the County Boundaries were changed in 1898.
The Ballagh Rossies tried to set up a separate club 10 or 15 years ago but were prevented from affiliating to Ros Co board by the Connacht council.
A lot of local anger remains to this day over that.
By the way Hanley and Andy Moran who also had to play for Mayo (Dubs might remember a certain goal
are both avaid Ros fans. Moran played for Mayo in the Connacht Minor Final in 2001. He then watched the Senior game Ros v Mayo wearing a Ros jersey as he supported his native county in the Senior final ( which we won ( Mayo fans might remember THAT GOAL  )

[stephenite]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

He must have wanted to play for mayo though, because you can play for the county you live in. 

Not if you come from Ballaghadereen CO ROSCOMMON.
The Ballagh club remained affiliated to Co Mayo when the County Boundaries were changed in 1898.
The Ballagh Rossies tried to set up a separate club 10 or 15 years ago but were prevented from affiliating to Ros Co board by the Connacht council.
A lot of local anger remains to this day over that.
By the way Hanley and Andy Moran who also had to play for Mayo (Dubs might remember a certain goal
are both avaid Ros fans. Moran played for Mayo in the Connacht Minor Final in 2001. He then watched the Senior game Ros v Mayo wearing a Ros jersey as he supported his native county in the Senior final ( which we won ( Mayo fans might remember THAT GOAL  )

Why doesn't Andy Moran transfer?

[muppet]

A point of order lads -
Young Hanley is from Ballaghadereen,COUNTY ROSCOMMON. He had to play for Mayo because the Ballagh GAA club steadfastly refuses to join it's own Co Board.

He must have wanted to play for mayo though, because you can play for the county you live in. 

Not if you come from Ballaghadereen CO ROSCOMMON.
The Ballagh club remained affiliated to Co Mayo when the County Boundaries were changed in 1898.
The Ballagh Rossies tried to set up a separate club 10 or 15 years ago but were prevented from affiliating to Ros Co board by the Connacht council.
A lot of local anger remains to this day over that.
By the way Hanley and Andy Moran who also had to play for Mayo (Dubs might remember a certain goal
are both avaid Ros fans. Moran played for Mayo in the Connacht Minor Final in 2001. He then watched the Senior game Ros v Mayo wearing a Ros jersey as he supported his native county in the Senior final ( which we won ( Mayo fans might remember THAT GOAL  )

Using Rossie logic Antrim, Down, Tyrone, Armagh, Fermanagh and Derry should have been playing in their own national championship when the country boundaries were changed in 1921. 

If the Gaa (rightfully) didn't redraw its own borders after a war of independance do you think they would redraw them for a landlord dodging water rates?

If your gripe is only with the Connacht Council decision then take it up with them, not every young lad with any talent that shows up.

[Rossfan]

If your gripe is only with the Connacht Council decision then take it up with them, not every young lad with any talent that shows up.

You are well named anyway 
No gripe with the Connacht Council - only with the 3 Counties who voted against us  when the matter came before the Council -
Mayo because they didnt want to lose anyone
Galway because the "Big 2" always support each other( c/f the 2008 farcical Connacht minor championship)
And those twisted yokes from Laythrum from whom you wouldnt expect any better They also gave the world Prior.