AFL Invasion

[Jinxy]

So the lesson is, if you can't kick properly just fist it over.

[Gnevin]

Well kicking a ball over the bar from 20 yards in front requires no skill either. If you think that is too easy why don't you want the handpass abolished all together then?

Jesus, either some of you lads never played football, were footballing genius' or don't like football very much, but both handpassing and kicking a point from 20ish yards does require a decent level of skill. The next time you see an IC footballer kick a ball wide from 20 yards won't be the first. Especially when they are running at the goal at speed, I seem to remember Shane Ryan doing so in Croke Park 2/3 years ago.

Shane Ryan as much as i admire him , his performance levels , what he brings to the Dublin team could kick a ball wide from a yard out

[TBT]

Emerging Down football talent Paul McComiskey has attracted interest from Aussie Rules side Brisbane Lions.

The Queens University student is part of Ross Carr's senior football squad and played alongside fellow countyman (and Aussie Rules success story) Martin Clarke on the Down minor side that emphatically won the 2005 All-Ireland.

The player has been invited to Brisbane for trials and would be a massive loss to the Mourne County were he to pursue a playing career down under.

In another blow to Ulster football, Tyrone minor star Kyle Coney has been invited for a two-week trial with Sydney Swans.

The prospect of a talent drain to the Australian code is angering a lot of gaels, particularly with clubs being asked to vote on a resumption of the International Rules series.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Well kicking a ball over the bar from 20 yards in front requires no skill either. If you think that is too easy why don't you want the handpass abolished all together then?

Jesus, either some of you lads never played football, were footballing genius' or don't like football very much, but both handpassing and kicking a point from 20ish yards does require a decent level of skill. The next time you see an IC footballer kick a ball wide from 20 yards won't be the first. Especially when they are running at the goal at speed, I seem to remember Shane Ryan doing so in Croke Park 2/3 years ago.

Well IC players shouldn't be kicking widers from 20 yards out unless under extreme pressure and probably wouldn't if they spent more time training and practicing kicking at a younger age than just getting fit

[stiffler]

Someone should start up an aussie rules team based in melbourne made up entirely of Gaa players, then the players play for 2 or 3 seasons before returning to their native county for the rest of their careers.

This way all top GAA players can live the life of a professional (granted for a limited time) and we would retain the best of our talent in this country.

I would imagine a top class aussie rules side made up entirely of irish players would be very marketable in Oz.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

I think some of the people on here are at the very least short sighted if they think that losing these players isnt going to do the gaa any harm. Surely any gaa man wants the best for the organisation, thats certianly what I want. Losing your very best players every year is a disaster for the  organisation. As Ive said before the difference between aussie rules and soccer/rugby is that the aussie's are specifically targeting these players because of their gaa background and they are being lost just as they are about to become potential stars. It certainly sparks of pure ignorance from the aussies who have built up a long standing relationship with the gaa (and come from a similar ameteur background) to now turn round and stick their 2 fingers up and take the gaa's best players causing the association harm.

People can say thats is only a few players but guys like Marty Clarke and Paul McComiskey dont grow on tree's. You've got to remember its guys like this who can produce top quality performances that are a huge driving force behind selling our games to the youth of Ireland. Look at the impact that the likes of McGeeney and Canavan have had in their cunties helping to promote the gaa to a whole new generation. Tyrone football would be a lot worse of if it hadnt had the likes of Canavan, McKenna,Stevie O'Neill etc and Id doubt the interest levels would be as high amoung the youth without these guys. Yes its a great opportunity for the individual but I tend to look at it more as a general problem which needs to be addressed.

The issue also appears to be very short sighted by the Aussies. They are getting a free ride here at great young talent but how must their own young players be feeling about the hole thing. They are denying their own youth the chance to play their games at the top level and instead replacing them with guys who have little or no love for the game.

[J70]

I think some of the people on here are at the very least short sighted if they think that losing these players isnt going to do the gaa any harm. Surely any gaa man wants the best for the organisation, thats certianly what I want. Losing your very best players every year is a disaster for the  organisation. As Ive said before the difference between aussie rules and soccer/rugby is that the aussie's are specifically targeting these players because of their gaa background and they are being lost just as they are about to become potential stars. It certainly sparks of pure ignorance from the aussies who have built up a long standing relationship with the gaa (and come from a similar ameteur background) to now turn round and stick their 2 fingers up and take the gaa's best players causing the association harm.

People can say thats is only a few players but guys like Marty Clarke and Paul McComiskey dont grow on tree's. You've got to remember its guys like this who can produce top quality performances that are a huge driving force behind selling our games to the youth of Ireland. Look at the impact that the likes of McGeeney and Canavan have had in their cunties helping to promote the gaa to a whole new generation. Tyrone football would be a lot worse of if it hadnt had the likes of Canavan, McKenna,Stevie O'Neill etc and Id doubt the interest levels would be as high amoung the youth without these guys. Yes its a great opportunity for the individual but I tend to look at it more as a general problem which needs to be addressed.

The issue also appears to be very short sighted by the Aussies. They are getting a free ride here at great young talent but how must their own young players be feeling about the hole thing. They are denying their own youth the chance to play their games at the top level and instead replacing them with guys who have little or no love for the game.

Who is saying that the loss of potentially first-rate players isn't regrettable? All I'm personally saying is that there is nothing that can or should be done to stand in a player's way, if that is what he and his family think is right. And if we do lose a few players, so what? There are about 1000 players on senior county football squads - the game isn't going to collapse because a few leave for Aussie Rules any more than it has been collapsing from seepage to soccer or career commitments.

[magickingdom]

there are about 10 irish players playing in oz, some of them will stay, some will come home after having a great experience and may pass on some of what they learnt down under when they come back. and heres another one some of the ones that make it there may well have come to nothing here. to read some of the posts here you'd swear gaelic football was going to die because of the afl. get a grip ffs

[Tyrone Dreamer]

If their were only 10 irish players playing their at any one time the gaa would probably cope (although you'd lose some real star players). However the aussie clubs seem to have adopted a new attitude to Ireland. It certainly looks like 4-6 of the best young players in Ireland could be recruited every year. There also looks to be greater effort being put in to make sure they stay. Imagine if in the last 10-15 years  McGeeney, Tohill (and stook at it), Canavan, Joyce, Giles and Dara O'Se had went one year and they were followed the next by say McDermott, Whelan, McConville, McDonald, Fitzgerald and Fay and they were followed the next by another 6, in my opinion gaelic games would be a lot worse of.

As I said its players of this quality that really sell our games to the youth and people not traditionally from gaa backgrounds. The likes of Marty Clarke and McComiskey could have been a god send in terms of bringing back some glory to Down football, which would undoubtly make it easier to motivate young players in the county. The talk of the scouts could lead to even bigger number being recruited though I do think it has been exaggerated.

[J70]

Assuming what you are saying comes to pass Tyrone Dreamer, what can be done about it? Its a free country and these lads can follow whatever career path they want, just like the rest of us.

[magickingdom]

if tiger woods didn't exist in golf the media would have phil mickelson on the pedestal hes on now. my point been gaa is above any individual guys...

[Gnevin]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23237583-23211,00.html


Irish plunder plan rejected

    By Darryl Timms
    February 19, 2008

AN AMBITIOUS plan to establish a recruiting network in Ireland has not received AFL support.

While AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou backs the Irish coming to Australia, the league is opposed to player manager Ricky Nixon's plan.

Nixon wants scouts in Ireland's 32 counties, who would report to a co-ordinator. The players, aged 14 to 20, would be put in a central database for the league to access for an annual fee of about $30,000.

Nixon's plan comes as the AFL and the Gaelic Athletic Association met in Dubai this month about resurrecting the International Rules Series, which Ireland abandoned after a violent second Test in Dublin in 2006.

Demetriou will make a recommendation on the future of the series at next month's commission meeting.

Irish newspapers have reported the series will go ahead in Australia in October.

Demetriou said the Irish understood why some of their players came to Australia.

"I do think we can help the GAA in providing some framework that can assist them, so we don't have people over there who are raiding their clubs and counties and promising heaven and earth to these young lads to come over," he said.

Demetriou said that of 50 Gaelic players who come here, only one or two might make it.

[Zulu]

Taken from today's independent


By Colm Keys
Wednesday February 27 2008


THE former AFL player who wants to set up a scouting network across Ireland has suggested compensating GAA clubs who lose players.


Ricky Nelson, whose plans were revealed last week, intends setting up the network to track the progress of talented young GAA players who could fit the AFL profile.

Nelson is keen to formalise his network with AFL and GAA approval to bring order to what he feels is currently a completely chaotic recruitment process.

"It is certainly my intention to make sure that the GAA and the AFL are across everything that we are doing. I'd prefer to finalise what we're doing before we speak to them rather than speak to them ad hoc," he said.

"At the moment it's unorganised. There are 16 different networks touring the country willy nilly. What's far better would be to have one central network that has got people who are based in Ireland and know how the system works.

"We'll just be a central body, an information-providing service that gives profiles on players and test results," said an enthusiastic Nelson.

Nelson intends to do everything up front and has suggested "benefits" for clubs who lose players.

The GAA president Nickey Brennan said last year that this was one avenue he would be exploring.

[stephenite]

If the clubs are going to get compensation (though I still can't work why the Aussies should pay for something they can get for free) than we might as well go for broke and go full time professional in the GAA. I cannot see the point of having our premier young players striving to get recognised by a scout for AFL clubs, it will be like young fellas in soccer hoping someone from an English club invites them over for a trial

[Leo]

" We are one step away from using the resources and labour of GAA clubs up and down the country to provide a production line for a rival sport. "

I'm taking the liberty of repeating this from my previous post because I thought it would open up a debate on the obvious next major issue for the GAA.

This is the scenario:
The more  decent young footballers like Mc Comiskey are recruited to Aussie, the more those who come behind will see thir career goal in that direction rather than All-Ireland medlas.

And the more that happens, the more the club coaches and other volunteers will question why they should allow massive club and community resources to be utilised to prepare such young players for another Foreign game in a foreign field.

Do I have to spell the rest of it out?

I'm not saying what the answers are but surely this should now be a national discussion about an impending crisis.