Past Cian Hanley (2014-2018)

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Dylan12

Dylan12

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Sep 7, 2007
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Melbourne
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Pearce Hanley's brother Cian joins Lions

THERE'S another Irishman set to join the AFL with the Brisbane Lions signing Cian Hanley – younger brother of star midfielder Pearce. Cian, 17, captains County Mayo's under-18s and is highly regarded in the Gaelic Athletic Association.

The Courier Mail has reported the Lions will have to wait some time to see the younger Hanley kick a Sherrin though, after Cian injured his ACL in a recent All Ireland under-18 semi-final. "It is really shattering for him, but we have made a commitment to him and we will stick by him,’’ Lions football manager Dean Warren said. "It is an opportunity for us, he will be able to do a lot of skill acquisition training and work in the gym so we don’t think we’ll lose that much time because of the injury."
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Oh brother, another Hanley

The Brisbane Lions are set to add another Irishman to their playing list, after committing to Cian Hanley, the younger brother of Pearce, as an International Rookie. The 18-year-old, who has been a star for County Mayo captaining his side to the All-Ireland Minor Semi-Final last month, will relocate to Australia later this year. Much like his brother Pearce, Hanley impressed the Lions with his elite agility and endurance.

Hanley caught the eye of the Lions early in his gaelic career, with Recruiting Manager, Steve Conole, taking a detour via Ireland earlier this year to meet with the family and deliver an Australian Rules football to the teenager. Steve said Hanley had impressed the Club with both his talent and his attitude:
“Cian is a focused, diligent young man whose has impressed us all with his professional attitude and drive to improve. “As Captain of his Mayo team, Cian has similarly impressed with his leadership and strong work ethic. “His form for Mayo this season had been outstanding and no doubt he is now regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Ireland.”

Hanley said he was excited by the opportunity to follow in his brother’s footsteps: “It’s an amazing opportunity and something I’ve thought about for a while hoping to follow in my brother’s footsteps. “I’m delighted to get the opportunity to play AFL and being able to have my brother already there makes the transition much easier. “Both my older brothers played with Ireland in the International Rules series so I had an interest in the game from that. Once Pearce was out there we watched as much AFL as we could.

Unfortunately it wasn’t all good news last week for the newly signed Hanley, with scans confirming he ruptured his ACL in County Mayo’s Semi-Final loss last Month. Hanley will continue his rehabilitation program with the Club once he lands on Australian soil. Lions General Manager, Football Operations, Dean Warren, said: “It’s tough adjusting to a new game and a different shaped ball, but we are confident that with the a lot of hard work and a few helpful tips from his older brother, Cian can develop into a really exciting player for us. “Obviously suffering an ACL injury was hugely disappointing for Cian, but from our perspective it didn’t change much. We were always taking a long term view with Cian and it now provides him with some time to settle in and study our game.”
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Cian Hanley, brother of Pearce, set to join Brisbane Lions despite knee injury

PEARCE Hanley’s bid to be Ireland’s greatest AFL footballer has become a family feud after the Lions signed his teenage brother Cian, who is considered one of Gaelic football’s brightest stars. Brisbane will have to wait 12 months before Cian is ready to kick his first Sherrin after the 17-year-old suffered an ACL injury in the All Ireland minor (under-18s) semi-final last week. Cian Hanley captained County Mayo’s under-18s and is considered one of the best under-age players in the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Warren said Lions scouts had identified Cian as an outstanding prospect for the transition to AFL and were sold when Pearce, who has now joined the AFL’s elite, returned home from his Christmas holidays last year and declared Cian had breezed through the off-season training program devised by Lions fitness coach Brett Burton.

“I may have him covered for pace, but endurance wise, he was light years in front of me,’’ Pearce said. “I’m thrilled I can be here to help him out but having family here, and another Irishman, will be great for me too. “I have missed out on watching him play his football so far, so I am really looking forward to that also.”
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Mayo’s Cian Hanley to join brother Pearce at AFL club Brisbane Lions

MAYO’S CIAN HANLEY is set to join his brother Pearce at AFL club Brisbane Lions. The news is a major blow to Mayo as Ballaghaderreen club man Hanley was one of the county’s brightest football prospects. He won an All-Ireland minor football medal last year but missed the final win over Tyrone after fracturing his collarbone in their semi-final clash with Monaghan.

This year Hanley captained Mayo to lift the Connacht minor football title against Roscommon before they lost to Kerry in last month’s semi-final clash. Hanley was forced off injured during that game and it transpired that he had torn his cruciate.
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Pearce Hanley’s younger brother will soon be joining him in the AFL at Brisbane Lions

If he’s even half as successful as his brother has been in recent years, then a successful Australian Rules career awaits for Cian Hanley. Brisbane paper The Courier Mail have revealed that the Brisbane Lions have Pearce Hanley's younger brother Cian, who captained the Mayo minors this year and won an All-Ireland title with the Green and Red last year. Hanley is currently sidelined with a cruciate ligament knee injury suffered in Mayo’s defeat to Kerry in the All-Ireland minor semi-final but the Lions have decided to press ahead with plans to sign the 17-year old, who will link up with the AFL outfit when the squad returns from their annual leave.

Hanley had been identified as a potential prospect by Brisbane scouts and they were sold on snapping him up when older brother Pearce returned from his Christmas holidays with a positive update on how Cian had coped with an off-season training programme devised by Lions fitness coach Brett Burton.

Much as Mayo fans would like to see him in green and red, Pearce Hanley doesn’t seem to be in any hurry home having recently signed a five-year deal with the Lions and having lit up the AFL with a series of eye-catching moments this season. Cian has a long way to go if he’s going to reach the same levels as his older brother, but he couldn’t ask for a better mentor and in a week where it was confirmed that Down duo Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney will be returning to Ireland, it appears as if there’ll be an Irish presence Down Under for some time yet.
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Just watched that goal tube & noticed his name is pronounced as "Keyann", not as "Seeann" as I was doing.
Wonder if Pearce should be pronounced "Peearse".:)
 
My irish mate reckons that cian is a decent player but is pretty slow. I wonder what position he'll start in the AFL.
 

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blynd_freddie said:
A great read... would love for @Declan Whooley to head over as well, seems to be a shortage of well written sporting articles like this, here. :cool:
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And bro Andy to come over for a preseason - undoubtedly our fitness staff would learn from him.
 
Seems to have pace, agility and can kick/handball using both sides - plenty to work with once he is fully fit I'd be tinking!
 
I seem to recall a visiting poster saying he lacked pace. Probably not up there with his brother but not sluggish either and those skills on both sides would make up for any lack of pace you would think.
 
WhiteLionFeva said:
I seem to recall a visiting poster saying he lacked pace. Probably not up there with his brother but not sluggish either and those skills on both sides would make up for any lack of pace you would think.
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Pearce himself said Cian lacked his own explosive pace, but is miles ahead of him in the endurance side of thing sat same age. For some reason the Irish all seem to have some running ability though. The international rules sides they bring over always seem to have more speed than our professional athletes.
 
SizeMatters said:
Pearce himself said Cian lacked his own explosive pace, but is miles ahead of him in the endurance side of thing sat same age. For some reason the Irish all seem to have some running ability though. The international rules sides they bring over always seem to have more speed than our professional athletes.
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Blame it on the Brittish.
 
SizeMatters said:
Pearce himself said Cian lacked his own explosive pace, but is miles ahead of him in the endurance side of thing sat same age. For some reason the Irish all seem to have some running ability though. The international rules sides they bring over always seem to have more speed than our professional athletes.
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I wouldn't say that pearce has 'explosive pace' only above average. I didn't think Cian was that quick in the video more agile than pacey.
 
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