Laois Duo offered contracts by Brisbane Lions..Good or Bad for GAA?

Steve_o

Laois Senior Footballer Colm Begley and U-21 Star Brendan Quigley have been offered 2 year Rookie contracts by the Brisbane Lions. Is this bad for the GAA? Is it gonna turn into the kind of thing where the AFL will start poaching the young talent from the GAA?? i'm not really sure what to think, Any Opinions?

Lemlin

It is bad for GAA IMO when the best players leave. These two young lads are obviously very good players and that's why they've been poached. I just hope it works out for them.

Nicholas Walsh from Cavan was signed by an Aussie Rules team aged 17, went there for several years and then was dumped because of injury with nothing to show for his efforts. Suppose it was his own rish to take and these lads see it the same.

On another slightly related topic, IMO the Aussie Rules Schoolboys competition just serves as a few games where the Aussies can scout the best up and coming young Irish players.

It was after starring in that competition that Walsh was courted and I definitely think that they would of been after Cavan's Cian Mackey, the player of the tournament this year, had it not been for his small stature, which wouldn't suit their game.

mchurl

it cant be good for our games but for the lads themselves it can only be good. If they are able to make a career out of it then fair play to them

conjon

Both players have already left.

tbh, a big loss for the county but fair dues to the lads. We'll continue to have this problem until the issue of paying players is addressed.

Lemlin

conjon wrote:

Both players have already left.

tbh, a big loss for the county but fair dues to the lads. We'll continue to have this problem until the issue of paying players is addressed.

Even when payment is addressed, the Australian lifestyle is alot better than the Irish one for younger people, just ask anyone who's lived in Oz.

As addressed on the Sean Cavanagh thread a few weeks ago, Aussie Rules players are professional but they aren't paid extortionate amounts by any means. Their salaries are quite low when compared to other professional sports.

Blackjack

To be honest, it's probably not that bad for the sport. Those that would shine enough to be approached could move if they wished to do so.
There is no compulsion on the players to leave. It could be seen as a feeder series for a professional sport.
It could become more attractive for people to get involved if they believe that the can make a paying career from it as well.
While it could be seen as taking the talented players away, it's an amateur sport and will always have this risk from professional sports.

blackbelt

Along with the fact that the AFL are poaching GAA players,it might also bring up the issue of severing ties between the GAA and AFL.

As seen from a few weeks ago,you need to be 6'2 and weighing over over 200lbs to be "built" for this sport.

Putting Brian Dooher and Colm Cooper in the international rules team is a big mistake as these guys have the athletic build which does not serve them much use in this game.

However these players being offered contracts down in Oz is like asking would you like to live a life of luxury far more than they have at home here in Ireland,so you can't blame these guys for accepting these offers presented to them.

conjon

Lemlin wrote:

Even when payment is addressed, the Australian lifestyle is alot better than the Irish one for younger people, just ask anyone who's lived in Oz.

Agreed.

Lemlin wrote:

As addressed on the Sean Cavanagh thread a few weeks ago, Aussie Rules players are professional but they aren't paid extortionate amounts by any means. Their salaries are quite low when compared to other professional sports.

But offer guys of 18-21, 18k an apartment/house, and a car and it doesn't look that bad.

M1cky

never mind the 18k, the apartment, and the car just the opportunity alone to be a professional athlete is very tempting. hell if they gave you no money but gave you food to live alot of lads would still go. the idea of being paid not just to train, but to rest aswell is something any young lad in this country would jump at. especially when you're being expected to play with 4 or 5 different teams with none of them really looking out for your best interest. being told to take time out of your day, every day to rest and recover and basically do nothing. sounds like paradise.

on the nicholas walsh issue, his club didn't dump him as such. they had a meeting with walsh at the end of his 2nd year and both parties agreed because of his injury problems he wasn't going to be able to develop in his third year the way it was anticipated (skill wise). they offered to rehabilitate Nicholas in his third year because it was going to take 6-months for him to rid himself of his injuries. wlash decided to head home and rehabilitate himself with cavan as he felt further year away from gaelic football would only reduce his skill levels even further. so they didn't abuse the kid and then cst him off.

Steve_o

[/QUOTE]But offer guys of 18-21, 18k an apartment/house, and a car and it doesn't look that bad.[/QUOTE]

Very true, I happen to know Colm Begley fairly well and I think its great for him!!! And Australia is a nice place to relax:D

Lemlin

conjon wrote:

Agreed.



But offer guys of 18-21, 18k an apartment/house, and a car and it doesn't look that bad.

Correct but it can also depend on their situation. Sean Cavanagh would make alot more being an accountant in Ireland than playing in the AFL.

The Rooster

Not to mention other sweetners that may or may not be provided by Club Tyrone.

conjon

Yeah, fair dues to the two lads, and I hope they get on well. A big loss to the County though.


Not to try change topic , but there was talk of a couple of the Down minors being offered contracts a couple of months back. Did anything come of this?

Steve_o

Heard somethin about in the paper at the time but, nothing more was said about it after that so i'm not sure...i'd imagine thay went out!!

stevemac

there is 2 down lads that there interested in. think one was this years captain. But they could only take 2 international players in each years draft so there expected to have another look at them next year.

mchurl

thye two lads in question are james colgan and martin clarke