AFL 2008

[zoyler]

Please God we will not see contracts in the GAA any time soon -we just cannot afford to go down that road on a national basis. Good luck to the very few who may make it in Oz

[INDIANA]

either way zoyler what difference does it make regulated or not? they are still going to be leaving now in bigger numbers it seems. i appreciate thats its up to the players but some loss to some of the smaller counties when it might take 20 years to produce a similar talent.

[zoyler]

It makes a difference to the life of the young lad going out to Oz if its regulated to make sure they are properly looked after from lodgings to training to life beyond and after a sporting career.

By the way that was a great game today beteween the Crows and the Hawks - didn't care who won but hope the Magpies beat Charlton in the morning - its on Setanta at about 4.30 am

[JimStynes]

http://sports.ninemsn.com.au/afl/

Good interview on the footyshow with myself.

[zoyler]

Charlton have just beaten Collinwood in a great tight game at the MCG.  The just about deserved to win but just like in our game vital decisions by the refs played a large part in it and all the vital ones went Charltons way. 
Clarke had a queit game -did nothing wroung but never seemed able to get into it.  SAs for Setanta reports of his demise seem exagerated.  He had a great game, making many vital blocks and interceptions and will be listed as one of their 'best fors'

[Jinxy]

Lads we live in a free country and people have the right to go where they want and do what they please.  We even have the right to shoot our elves in the foot - look at the referendum result!

So what if a few more go - how many will make the grade and how many will settle - it will still be a small fraction.  It also shows how wise Croke Park was to try and maintain some link with the AFL in the hope of at least regularising the traffic because legally it cannot be stopped.

Thats terrible.

[Aerlik]

An interesting weekend of results.  I only got to see the highlights last night (Monday) due to work but was pleased that:
a) The Bombers beat the Eagles...never have I listened to a more nauseating group of gurning, greeting, whinging, moaning feckers than the Eagles - on a par with ALL Melbourne teams who have to leave Vic for a game, principly Collingwood.
b) Sydney beat the Saints
c) Hawks beat the Crows in a great game and that Buddy Franklin will not get the Brownlow this year...thug
d) Carlton beat the Pies...what did Setanta say to Travis Cloke to earn the reply he got after Cloke scored one?
e) and finally.... FREO WON A GAME.  Wooooooohooooo and what a performance it was.  Speaking to mates who were at Subiaco, they totally leathered them despite the TV images to the contrary.

The small issue (not) of St.Kilda next weekend and then the home game v. Essondon.  And I'll be there with mini-me.

Victoria Bitter?  Nah, Bitter Victorians.

[Declan]

Victoria Bitter?  Nah, Bitter Victorians.

Laughed at that one Aerlik. Was at the G for the pies blues game in the company of a couple of diehard pies fans. Good banter between the fans I thought.
Buddy is some man alright isn't he- cheap blow

[thejuice]

Saw the Blues-Collingwood game last night on Eurosport 2, good comeback, very entertaining. The ref made some crucial calls it seems but I dont know the rules so I wasnt sure. Am I correct is saying you can shove a guy in the back going for a high ball outfield but not in front of goal?

I thought Setanta had a poor game, or maybe I'm reading it wrong, He was just spoiling catches and not trying to catch it himself. I know that can work but to be a great player shouldnt he be going for a mark.

[Jinxy]

He played well Juice. He was on the oppositions best key forward and his job was to stop him taking marks and scoring. The fans seemed very happy with how he played anyway.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Interesting piece from examiner.ie      Glad to see Kennelly taking this stance


Beware Aussie Rules 'draft' camp, warns Swans star Kennelly

By Colm O'Connor
IRELAND'S most successful Australian Rules convert, Tadhg Kennelly, has warned GAA clubs and players off a controversial new recruitment drive to find new Irish talent for AFL clubs.


Ricky Nixon, Australia's most high-profile sports agent, last week met with representatives of five AFL clubs last week — all of whom have paid AUS$30,000 (€18,200) to sign up for the Irish recruiting scheme. There are plans for "draft" camps to be set up here — in either Dublin or Belfast — that will run the rule over a shortlist of up to 30 young Gaelic footballers.





But Kennelly is preaching caution to anyone contemplating becoming involved in the system.

"Be very wary," said the Listowel native, the only Irish man to have won an AFL Premiership title.

"He (Nixon) is coming over promising the world and painting a wonderful picture of Australia and the clubs out there.

"But the reality is different.

"The clubs involved in this scheme don't all have the resources or infrastructure in place to develop young Irish talent."

He offered to help any youngster considering a move down under to try their hand in the foreign code.

"I am more than happy for any player approached by this man, to contact me or my agent Michael Quinlan via the Sydney Swans website to discuss what their options are and what they should be looking for if they come to Australia."

He continued: "The Irish kids that have come out here, that have been successful like myself, all had one-on-one coaching with their clubs.

"That was vital. The ones that didn't have that one-on-one assistance ended up going home and went back the worse for the experience.

"My advice would be to make sure the club you are going to have the resources and infrastructure in place and have a track record of developing talent."

And the Sydney Swans star, who went to Australia in 1999, blasted: "Not alone will the youngsters suffer but so will the GAA if this continues."

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou admitted earlier this year that he would not support Nixon's plans for a recruiting network in Ireland.

He said in February: "I spoke to the GAA and in fairness they understand why some of their players come over to Australia and made it clear they can't stop young players chasing their dream (of a professional football career given Gaelic Football is an amateur sport)."

"But we can help them (the GAA) and provide some framework to assist them so we don't have people over there almost raiding their clubs and their counties and promising heaven and earth to these young lads when, really, out of every 50 Irish players that come over here, only one or two succeed."

Meanwhile the Brisbane Lions have stepped up their bid to bring another Laois GAA player to the southern hemisphere with the confirmation former minor footballer Conor Meredith has been offered a trial by the club.

The major AFL club already have Stradbally native Colm Begley in their ranks but they now have made a huge effort to add Meredith to their recruiting drive.

"I'm meant to be going out there in a couple of weeks," said Meredith, who scored three goals in last year's Leinster minor football final

"I don't know much about dates or anything like that at the moment though.

"I would love to go out and see what it's like," he concluded.

[HeaveHo]

One in 50 is wrong - Kennelly, Clarke, Begley, O'Halphin. Murphy is highly rated as is Dyas.

[RedandGreenSniper]

One in 50 is wrong - Kennelly, Clarke, Begley, O'Halphin. Murphy is highly rated as is Dyas.

Yeah its probably closer to 50%. But that would start to diminish rapidly in a programme like this and both the individual  and the GAA would be suffering

[zoyler]

Its like the difference between line angling and trawling ! 

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

The Saints v Dockers game was the worst game of the year!