Tommy Walsh off to Oz?

future_plans

Is there much truth to this story?

http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=sport-qqqa=sport-qqqid=77221-qqqx=1.asp

It's not far off a disaster for not only Kerry but the GAA to lose another young superstar to Aussie Rules....

homerjay2005

hmmm, dunno what to make of it. i think he will be looked after in kerry.

CheGuedara

I'd be very surprised - he's probably going to get the holiday out of it. I'll see if I can't get the direct story & get back to you.

NabyLadistheman

he teenager voted Ireland’s best young Gaelic footballer will train with St Kilda later this month as he weighs up a possible move to the AFL.

Forward Tommy Walsh, 19, was last month named the Gaelic Athletic Association’s young footballer of the year, so the news that the amateur Ireland could lose him to the AFL is expected to cause consternation in his homeland.

Player manager Ricky Nixon, who helped convince the forward to try his hand at the Australian game as part of his Irish talent-spotting program, acknowledged as much.

"It probably won’t make people in Ireland too happy, but he’s coming out," Nixon told Melbourne’s SEN radio.

"I can’t tell you if he’ll want to play or stay or if he’ll be good enough but he’s definitely one of the best talents that I’ve seen."

Walsh played for Kerry in this year’s All Ireland final.

Nixon described him as an athletic power forward "in the mould of a Wayne Carey type" and said he was the most exciting prospect of the large group of Irish youngsters his recruiting team had looked at.

"We pulled off a pretty big coup ... he’s previously resisted every attempt to get him out here," he said.

He will come to Australia in a fortnight and train with the Saints for a week, although that does not rule out other AFL clubs recruiting him.

Nixon’s program has resulted in several other Irish youngsters currently training or intending to train with AFL clubs.

Conor Meredith and Niall McKeever are currently with Richmond.

Next week, Meredith will train with North Melbourne, while McKeever will spend the week with the Saints.

Another Irishman, James Kielt, will train with both the Kangaroos and St Kilda in coming weeks, while Walsh and compatriot David Moran will try their hand with the Saints.

But Nixon said his systematic recruiting scheme was no reason for the Irish to be afraid that their youngsters would start heading to the AFL in droves.

He said the more likely outcome was that those who came to Australia would be better prepared and suited for an AFL career because they had been more thoroughly tested.

Under AFL rules, if a club reaches an agreement with an Irish player, the club can nominate them ahead of the rookie draft, guaranteeing they are able to recruit them to their rookie list.

From www.realfooty.com.au


David Moran going two...disaster for Kerry football

Mr. Incognito

And David Moran!!

That's our great hope for midfield.

I really hope they don't go. This is Kennelly all over agian.

kevmy

According to Willie Joe on Green and Red there's talk of Tom Parsons trying for a trial out there as well.

That would be a disaster for Mayo football in my opinion, especially after Pierce Hanley going over.

homerjay2005

hopefully if tadhg comes home, he will talk em out of it!!!

kerry4sam

homerjay2005 wrote: »

hopefully if tadhg comes home, he will talk em out of it!!!

He already has spoke to them as far as I am aware ... But look at it from their point of view, it could be a chance of a life-time for them - they see how well Tadhg has done for himself and it could happen to them also.

All in all though, it is just a trial right now, it may not even suit the lads and they may opt to return to GAA OR maybe they may not make the cut while there.

Just a trial right now, nothing guaranteed or even confrimed for long-term for the lads.

I wish them well though. They will know the effect of their decision here in Kerry, and i honestly wish them well

The_Kew_Tour

Can you blame the lad if he does go.

I wish him all the best not sure if he will make it only time will tell.

Why are people so surprised he fine footballer and looks suited to the Oz game.

Think he could be hit over there.

It's not good news to GAA but so be it ya have to do what ya have to do for yourself really.

Killme00

Good luck to him and anyone else that is lucky enough to go. The chance to play professional sports is too much to turn down.

Orizio

Best of luck to the lad.

Lets hope he takes Moran with him...:p

Agus

kevmy wrote: »

According to Willie Joe on Green and Red there's talk of Tom Parsons trying for a trial out there as well.

That would be a disaster for Mayo football in my opinion, especially after Pierce Hanley going over.

There were rumours, but it seems to be untrue....read towards the end of this article

Walsh latest star to get trial in Australia
In this section »
THE CELEBRATORY tone which greeted Jack O'Connor's return to Kerry football management went a little out of tune yesterday with the news that the county's most promising footballer Tommy Walsh may end up pursuing a career with the Australian Football League.

The 19-year-old Young Footballer of the Year is unquestionably one of Kerry's most exciting talents in years, and yet along with fellow young team-mate David Moran, Walsh has decided to take up a one-week trial with Melbourne-based outfit St Kilda, possibly leading to the offer of a contract for next year.

Both players will travel to Australia in a fortnight's time, with Walsh due to line out for Kerins O'Rahilly's in this Sunday's Kerry county final, also under O'Connor, although club chairman Seán Kissane was last night aghast at the prospect of the game losing another of its most exciting young stars.

"I'm sick of it, to be honest," said Kissane, "the way these young footballers are being treated. You bring them through from the age of 12 or 13 and then they're taken away. But at the same you can't blame the player, and I wish Tommy all the best with whatever he decides to do, but I just wonder where it will all stop."

The offer has come through Australian sports agent Ricky Nixon, who staged the AFL camp in Ireland last August, and speaking on Australian radio, Nixon seemed quite aware the impact of Walsh's potential move: "It probably won't make people in Ireland too happy, but he's coming out," Nixon told Melbourne's SEN radio. "I can't tell you if he'll want to play or stay or if he'll be good enough but he's definitely one of the best talents that I've seen."

Nixon described Walsh as an athletic power forward "in the mould of a Wayne Carey", the AFL star, adding that: "We pulled off a pretty big coup . . . he's previously resisted every attempt to get him out here."

Nixon's programme has already resulted in several other Irish youngsters currently training with AFL clubs, with Conor Meredith of Laois and Niall McKeever of Antrim currently with Richmond. James Kielt of Derry is also set to train with both Kangaroos and St Kilda in coming weeks.

However, Mayo's young talent Tom Parsons, who was part of the Irish team on the International Rules tour to Australia, was also linked with a potential trial in Australia, but which he completely denied yesterday with an obvious sense of bemusement.

"There were some reports in the papers yesterday saying I had actually stayed down in Australia for an extra week in order to try out with a AFL club," said Parsons, a student of civil engineering at Sligo IT. "In fact I was walking down the street today when someone passed me and said, 'I though you were in Australia?'

"I don't know where it came from, but it's absolute total rubbish. I never talked with any club, any agent, nor did I want to. I went to Australia to do my best from Ireland, but I was always intent on coming back, and it never even crossed my mind that I may try out in the AFL.

"All I was thinking about was getting back with Mayo next year, and I've already started into the pre-season weights programme."
Meanwhile, the GAA announced that Seán Ó Laoire is to retire from the position of Bainisteoir na gCluichí at the end of the year, ending one of the longest serving terms within the GAA with over 40 years dedicated service.

© 2008 The Irish Times

kevmy

Agus wrote: »

There were rumours, but it seems to be untrue....read towards the end of this article

Walsh latest star to get trial in Australia
In this section »
THE CELEBRATORY tone which greeted Jack O'Connor's return to Kerry football management went a little out of tune yesterday with the news that the county's most promising footballer Tommy Walsh may end up pursuing a career with the Australian Football League.

The 19-year-old Young Footballer of the Year is unquestionably one of Kerry's most exciting talents in years, and yet along with fellow young team-mate David Moran, Walsh has decided to take up a one-week trial with Melbourne-based outfit St Kilda, possibly leading to the offer of a contract for next year.

Both players will travel to Australia in a fortnight's time, with Walsh due to line out for Kerins O'Rahilly's in this Sunday's Kerry county final, also under O'Connor, although club chairman Seán Kissane was last night aghast at the prospect of the game losing another of its most exciting young stars.

"I'm sick of it, to be honest," said Kissane, "the way these young footballers are being treated. You bring them through from the age of 12 or 13 and then they're taken away. But at the same you can't blame the player, and I wish Tommy all the best with whatever he decides to do, but I just wonder where it will all stop."

The offer has come through Australian sports agent Ricky Nixon, who staged the AFL camp in Ireland last August, and speaking on Australian radio, Nixon seemed quite aware the impact of Walsh's potential move: "It probably won't make people in Ireland too happy, but he's coming out," Nixon told Melbourne's SEN radio. "I can't tell you if he'll want to play or stay or if he'll be good enough but he's definitely one of the best talents that I've seen."

Nixon described Walsh as an athletic power forward "in the mould of a Wayne Carey", the AFL star, adding that: "We pulled off a pretty big coup . . . he's previously resisted every attempt to get him out here."

Nixon's programme has already resulted in several other Irish youngsters currently training with AFL clubs, with Conor Meredith of Laois and Niall McKeever of Antrim currently with Richmond. James Kielt of Derry is also set to train with both Kangaroos and St Kilda in coming weeks.

However, Mayo's young talent Tom Parsons, who was part of the Irish team on the International Rules tour to Australia, was also linked with a potential trial in Australia, but which he completely denied yesterday with an obvious sense of bemusement.

"There were some reports in the papers yesterday saying I had actually stayed down in Australia for an extra week in order to try out with a AFL club," said Parsons, a student of civil engineering at Sligo IT. "In fact I was walking down the street today when someone passed me and said, 'I though you were in Australia?'

"I don't know where it came from, but it's absolute total rubbish. I never talked with any club, any agent, nor did I want to. I went to Australia to do my best from Ireland, but I was always intent on coming back, and it never even crossed my mind that I may try out in the AFL.

"All I was thinking about was getting back with Mayo next year, and I've already started into the pre-season weights programme."
Meanwhile, the GAA announced that Seán Ó Laoire is to retire from the position of Bainisteoir na gCluichí at the end of the year, ending one of the longest serving terms within the GAA with over 40 years dedicated service.

© 2008 The Irish Times

Well that's good news at least.

I just heard the rumours and wanted to know if anyone knew any better.

Hopefully that'll be the end of it now.

Agus

Walsh and Moran are not going either, not this year anyway. The county final is being replayed and they are playing in it instead.