Irish recruits

Jim Stynes11

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Saw similar reported on other Irish outlets. The player himself has denied as recently as 23 December but there must be something in the rumour.

Hope he goes well, no doubt about his GAA quality, though at 24 he would be quite a bit older than the average Irish player to make the transition
 
How do we fit him in when we already have 3 on the (Cat B list) and 4 on the (Cat A list).

We may not put him on our list for this year. He'd just train with us and then get listed at the end of 2020. There might be some eligibility for NEAFL, I don't know about that. IIRC Blicavs did similar with Geelong, amongst other Cat B examples. It's just that it usually happens midyear, not in January.
 
We may not put him on our list for this year. He'd just train with us and then get listed at the end of 2020. There might be some eligibility for NEAFL, I don't know about that. IIRC Blicavs did similar with Geelong, amongst other Cat B examples. It's just that it usually happens midyear, not in January.
Like we did with Fullarton?
 
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May 3, 2005
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Have never come across that name before, wonder if it's common in Ireland.

Actually, he wouldn’t even be the first Cathal on an AFL rookie list. Saints had Cathal Corr, also an Irishman.
 

jackess

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24 is a bit late. Realistically will take at least 3-4 years which won't leave many years left
 
Maybe his age is an advantage?
It may not take him as long to adjust?

I can't imagine we'd put time and money into any 24 year old player unless we saw him/her as someone who could have a meaningful contribution at the club.
 

Dockeroo

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Hasn’t been confirmed yet and the fact that Brisbane have no list spots available makes me a bit doubtful. Make no mistake though, if he does come, he is a different player to most irish lads that come over as 18/19 year olds.
He is currently the best full forward in Gaelic football - made last years all star team (equivalent of all Australian). I can’t believe he’d walk away from his current status as a top GAA player to spend a year in a NEAFL side at 24, it doesn’t make sense.
If I was to pick a similar AFL player - it would be Tom Lynch of Richmond.
 
Hasn’t been confirmed yet and the fact that Brisbane have no list spots available makes me a bit doubtful. Make no mistake though, if he does come, he is a different player to most irish lads that come over as 18/19 year olds.
He is currently the best full forward in Gaelic football - made last years all star team (equivalent of all Australian). I can’t believe he’d walk away from his current status as a top GAA player to spend a year in a NEAFL side at 24, it doesn’t make sense.
If I was to pick a similar AFL player - it would be Tom Lynch of Richmond.
Isn’t Gaelic football pretty much an amateur sport over there?
I can certainly see the attraction for him to come here, if it is?
 

BigCat2

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Watching YouTube highlights, he plays like Dustin Martin in the forward line: explosive, powerful, agile, skilled with a strong fend-off. I can see why we'd give him a shot, for essentially a free hit.
 

briztoon

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A77B119E-05FC-47C3-874B-CD2F5D32F7C9.png
 

jackess

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Not over yet. Although you'd suspect we're losing


Rebuilding Adelaide is locked in a bidding war with Brisbane for athletic Irish Gaelic football star Cathal McShane.

The Crows will fly the 24-year-old to Australia this month to trial with them after he had been linked to the Lions, who were reported to have offered him a two-year contract.

McShane, from the Tyrone club, was the top scorer in last season’s All-Ireland Championship and an All-Star and is regarded as a “powerful physical specimen who is strong in the air and nimble on the ground for a man of his size’’.

Described in Ireland as a “wrecking ball’’, he attended a trial at the AFL Europe Combine in 2014 but had a breakout 2019 when he became the most potent spearhead in Gaelic football.

“We’re looking forward to Cathal joining our pre-season training program and getting to know him a bit better,” Adelaide general manager list management and strategy Justin Reid said.

“He has the physical attributes, coming in at a touch over 190 centimetres. He’s also strong in the air and can kick on both feet.

“Once he lands in Adelaide, it will give him the opportunity to understand more about our club, our philosophies and what our program looks like.”

At 24, McShane would be one of the older Irish players to try their hand at the AFL.

But his formidable physique, athleticism and ball skills have the Crows and Lions intrigued.

He is eligible to join Adelaide as a Category B rookie while it has a senior spot available on its list.

Crows SANFL player James Matthews has also been training with the AFL squad.

McShane is a former Tyrone minor teammate of speedy Essendon defender Conor McKenna.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte confirmed that McShane was considering a move Down Under.

‘He has been wooed by some people in the AFL,’’ Harte told the BBC.

‘‘I think he’s gone out there for a few days to see what that might be like.

“There has been no final decision yet on whether he’s going to go or whether he will stay with us but, at the moment, he’s certainly considering that move.’’

A record 17 Irishmen are set to be on AFL lists next year, with another 18 locked in to play in the AFLW.

The Crows already have a Gaelic convert at West Lakes, with AFLW rookie Ailish Considine winning a premiership medal in her debut season with the club last season.
 
I'm intrigued: how can we offer him a 2 year contract if we do not have a list spot?
That would be the attraction of the Adelaide offer.
We can only offer him a year in the NEAFL before going on either the rookie or Senior list next year.
Where Adelaide can offer a Rookie or Senior list now.
 

rangatangtang

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If it's meant to be it'll happen. Even if we had a spot there's almost no way he plays in the firsts and kicks 30 goals with our ball in his first season
 
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