Michael Shields agrees to train with Carlton

[reg_lower91]

"County Cork defender Michael Shields has landed in Australia after accepting an offer to train with Carlton."

Apparently, he is a gun of a player and is very young! Also a defender, an extra bonus!

Here's the link:
http://www.carltonfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4311/Default.aspx?newsId=52961

is it possible to get him through our rookie list?
even if not, it's great news and i'd expect us to invite a few more down to train with us in the coming weeks too!

 

[Blue Dimension]

Just posted this in the previous thread on Sheilds, but yes, we will be able to Rookie him.

Fantastic news that he has come down on a trial. Would be great to have all three Irish playing together!

If anybody want's a bit of a description of him, i've posted it in the other thread - i gathered some details off a GAA forum.

 

[BluesRules]

http://sports.setanta.com/en/Sport/...ims/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/

Michael Shields has a little bit of BS in him.

 

[Beloved]

Ahh, it gets better and better this pre-season Another Irishman to call our own

 

[BluesRules]

Ahh, it gets better and better this pre-season Another Irishman to call our own

He hasn't been offered a contract yet.

 

[Horsebox]

And another one (potentially). Taken from the Irish Independent today.

Laois' Quigley rejoins growing Aussie exodus

By Gaelic Games
Friday November 02 2007

GAA's so-called 'brawn drain' to Australia continued apace yesterday with the surprise U-turn by Laois senior Brendan Quigley who has decided to give Aussie Rules football a second try.

The Laois midfielder is expected to join a rapidly- expanding group of young Irish at Carlton Blues inside the next fortnight in what will be his second stab at AFL glory and his move Down Under again comes fast on the heels of Cork U-21 star Michael Shields who has just agreed to take up a three-week trial with the same club.

Laois football officials, who lost county star Colm Begley to the Brisbane Lions two years ago, are also shocked by speculation that county minor star Zach Tuohy has already been approached and is believed to have given Carlton first refusal when he looks at his options in a year's time.

Carlton already have Cork brothers Setanta and Aisake O hAilpin on their books and Begley's move brings to a possible 10 the number of young Irishmen signed by 'footy clubs' in an unashamed recent recruitment drive in Ireland which has infuriated some GAA officials.

Quigley has already had a short stint in the Australian Football League (AFL). He and fellow Laois minor star Colm Begley both signed for the Brisbane Lions in the autumn of 2005 but Quigley is believed to have suffered badly from homesickness and returned to Ireland after a couple of months, subsequently starring for the Laois seniors and contesting the All-Ireland U-21 final last year.

Michael Miller, secretary of Quigley's club Timahoe, says that he has been aware of the speculation surrounding the 21-year-old in recent weeks but does not know if any deal has been signed. "He would be some loss to us though," he conceded.

Only last week there were reports in the Australian press that the Melbourne side had ramped up a new aggressive recruitment campaign in Ireland and secretly made offers to four young Irish teenagers (aged between 16-17) in Cork, Galway, Armagh and Laois.

Carlton's 'operations manager' Steven Icke confirmed he was recruiting in Ireland last week but said that he was only involved in preliminary talks and firmly denied the allegation that he was offering AUD$1,600 (€1,000) apiece to Irish teenagers who would give them 'first option' on any future AFL offers.

The GAA president Nickey Brennan made the GAA's objections to under-age recruitment clear to the AFL when he met their chiefs in Paris recently but has admitted that there is nothing Irish officials can do to stop it.

Three counties have already lost under-age stars this summer. Carlow minor Brendan Murphy (18) has has committed to the Sydney Swans while Mayo's Pierce Hanley is trialing with Brisbane and Collingwood have already secured rising Armagh star Kevin Dyas.

Regulations

The quick progress of former Kerry minor Tadhg Kennelly, coupled with a change in AFL drafting regulations in 2006, has opened the recruiting floodgates in Ireland, increased further with the rapid transition of Colm Begley and Martin Clarke.

Laois officials, who have already lost Begley and now possibly Quigley once again, will be further annoyed at the possibility that they may next lose Zach Tuohy, who caught the national limelight when scoring two goals in the drawn All-Ireland minor semi-final against Derry this summer.

Tuohy has since starred for Portlaoise in both the county minor and senior finals and been called into the county senior squad.

Speculation that any AFL club has approached players as young as 16 and 17 looks certain to be investigated by the GAA who have promoted an U-17 international rules series with the Australians in recent years.

Kennelly was first spotted playing U-17 for Ireland against the Aussies, as were Begley and Hanley, and Mayo senior boss John O'Mahony is one of those who believes that the experiment was a mistake as it provided a recruitment ground for the Aussies.

"Much more than the senior series this is the place where talent is most identifiable to Australian clubs because the players are at the age that they want them. Most of the senior players that play the series would be considered too old to cross codes," said O'Mahony.

 

[Blue Dimension]

So he was at Brisbane on the rookie list, and now he wants to join Carlton?

I thought we were only allowed to have 1 on our rookie list? or is it two?

 

[hustla]

Aren't international rookies the same as normal rookies over here? Can you have 4 on your list?

 

[doh its me]

I dont think there is any restriction on the number of International rookies a club can have.

Carlton certainly had both O'hailpins on the rookie list at the same time

 

[Jeremias]

And another one (potentially). Taken from the Irish Independent today.

Laois' Quigley rejoins growing Aussie exodus

By Gaelic Games
Friday November 02 2007

GAA's so-called 'brawn drain' to Australia continued apace yesterday with the surprise U-turn by Laois senior Brendan Quigley who has decided to give Aussie Rules football a second try.

The Laois midfielder is expected to join a rapidly- expanding group of young Irish at Carlton Blues inside the next fortnight in what will be his second stab at AFL glory and his move Down Under again comes fast on the heels of Cork U-21 star Michael Shields who has just agreed to take up a three-week trial with the same club.

Laois football officials, who lost county star Colm Begley to the Brisbane Lions two years ago, are also shocked by speculation that county minor star Zach Tuohy has already been approached and is believed to have given Carlton first refusal when he looks at his options in a year's time.

Carlton already have Cork brothers Setanta and Aisake O hAilpin on their books and Begley's move brings to a possible 10 the number of young Irishmen signed by 'footy clubs' in an unashamed recent recruitment drive in Ireland which has infuriated some GAA officials.

Quigley has already had a short stint in the Australian Football League (AFL). He and fellow Laois minor star Colm Begley both signed for the Brisbane Lions in the autumn of 2005 but Quigley is believed to have suffered badly from homesickness and returned to Ireland after a couple of months, subsequently starring for the Laois seniors and contesting the All-Ireland U-21 final last year.

Michael Miller, secretary of Quigley's club Timahoe, says that he has been aware of the speculation surrounding the 21-year-old in recent weeks but does not know if any deal has been signed. "He would be some loss to us though," he conceded.

Only last week there were reports in the Australian press that the Melbourne side had ramped up a new aggressive recruitment campaign in Ireland and secretly made offers to four young Irish teenagers (aged between 16-17) in Cork, Galway, Armagh and Laois.

Carlton's 'operations manager' Steven Icke confirmed he was recruiting in Ireland last week but said that he was only involved in preliminary talks and firmly denied the allegation that he was offering AUD$1,600 (€1,000) apiece to Irish teenagers who would give them 'first option' on any future AFL offers.

The GAA president Nickey Brennan made the GAA's objections to under-age recruitment clear to the AFL when he met their chiefs in Paris recently but has admitted that there is nothing Irish officials can do to stop it.

Three counties have already lost under-age stars this summer. Carlow minor Brendan Murphy (18) has has committed to the Sydney Swans while Mayo's Pierce Hanley is trialing with Brisbane and Collingwood have already secured rising Armagh star Kevin Dyas.

Regulations

The quick progress of former Kerry minor Tadhg Kennelly, coupled with a change in AFL drafting regulations in 2006, has opened the recruiting floodgates in Ireland, increased further with the rapid transition of Colm Begley and Martin Clarke.

Laois officials, who have already lost Begley and now possibly Quigley once again, will be further annoyed at the possibility that they may next lose Zach Tuohy, who caught the national limelight when scoring two goals in the drawn All-Ireland minor semi-final against Derry this summer.

Tuohy has since starred for Portlaoise in both the county minor and senior finals and been called into the county senior squad.

Speculation that any AFL club has approached players as young as 16 and 17 looks certain to be investigated by the GAA who have promoted an U-17 international rules series with the Australians in recent years.

Kennelly was first spotted playing U-17 for Ireland against the Aussies, as were Begley and Hanley, and Mayo senior boss John O'Mahony is one of those who believes that the experiment was a mistake as it provided a recruitment ground for the Aussies.

"Much more than the senior series this is the place where talent is most identifiable to Australian clubs because the players are at the age that they want them. Most of the senior players that play the series would be considered too old to cross codes," said O'Mahony.

Where is this article from?

 

[Blue Dimension]

Where is this article from?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gae...ey-rejoins-growing-aussie-exodus-1209579.html

Just copied and pasted a paragraph into google and found this site.

 

[Jeremias]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gae...ey-rejoins-growing-aussie-exodus-1209579.html

Just copied and pasted a paragraph into google and found this site.

Thanks for that mate.

This is VERY interesting. We could have Shields come over as soon as this year, maybe even on to the senior list.

Quigley would probably come next year, if he does come.

And then this other kid, Zach Tuohy, who might also come across next year, apparently giving Carlton first crack at him if he decides to come and try his luck at AFL.

Are these guys on top of the rumoured 4 juniors that we have been in contact with?

 

[hustla]

we're getting a guy next year too. can this year get any better???

http://www.laois-nationalist.ie/news/story.asp?j=26974&cat=sport

Australian Rules OK!
By: Tomás Moore
LAOIS GAA has been rocked by the news that Brendan Quigley and Zach Tuohy look set to join the growing ranks of Irish stars plying the trade in Australian Rules football.


Tuohy has confirmed his intention to take up a trial with the Carlton Blues, who already have Setanta and Aisake ” hAilpín on their roster, while rumours continue to circulate that Quigley will depart for pre-season training with the same team in the next fortnight.

This would be the second time the Timahoe midfielder would be travelling to Australia after he returned from a short stint with Brisbane Lions, weeks after after accompanying Colm Begley to the Queensland club a couple of years ago.

Quigley has been linked with a return Down Under for much of the year and it is understood that he has now decided to give it another go.

Club secretary, Michael Miller, admitted that he had heard the rumours in recent weeks but claimed that he did not know if there was any substance to them or not.

“He would be a huge loss to Timahoe” he agreed.

While Quigley was unavailable for comment, Tuohy - who enjoyed a wonderful weekend winning man of the match in the county minor final and starring in Portlaoise’s U21 quarter-final victory as well - had no such qualms.
The young superstar has taken up the offer of a trial with the Carlton Blues club in the AFL next October. He has been in fine form all year and this has attracted the interest of the Australian side. It is widely believed that his parents were impressed when they met up with a member of the Carlton side.


“There is some elements of (the story) that are true but nothing is written in stone yet but bits of it are true,” Tuohy told the Laois Nationalist.

“I am not really sure when I will be going over but it won’t be until at least next October. If I am going over it will be a trial for a month and they will decide then after that.

If I am given the chance I would love to go over, if anything else to see the world, but it is a great opportunity and I think any lad who would get the chance would jump at it,” he concluded.

The Portlaoise player is the third member of the Laois minor panel who have been approached by Australian Rules teams. Conor Meredith, John O’Loughlin and Donie Kingston have all been approached but they have decided to reject any move to the AFL.

Meanwhile, Laois senior selector Andy Shortall has voiced his concern with the potential loss of the county senior panellists.
“Any county can’t afford to lose players of huge quality. We don’t want to be losing any players and we are hoping that all these players can stay with Laois,” he said.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Australian Rules OK!
By: Tomás Moore
LAOIS GAA has been rocked by the news that Brendan Quigley and Zach Tuohy look set to join the growing ranks of Irish stars plying the trade in Australian Rules football.


Tuohy has confirmed his intention to take up a trial with the Carlton Blues, who already have Setanta and Aisake ” hAilpín on their roster, while rumours continue to circulate that Quigley will depart for pre-season training with the same team in the next fortnight.

This would be the second time the Timahoe midfielder would be travelling to Australia after he returned from a short stint with Brisbane Lions, weeks after after accompanying Colm Begley to the Queensland club a couple of years ago.

Quigley has been linked with a return Down Under for much of the year and it is understood that he has now decided to give it another go.

Club secretary, Michael Miller, admitted that he had heard the rumours in recent weeks but claimed that he did not know if there was any substance to them or not.

“He would be a huge loss to Timahoe” he agreed.

While Quigley was unavailable for comment, Tuohy - who enjoyed a wonderful weekend winning man of the match in the county minor final and starring in Portlaoise’s U21 quarter-final victory as well - had no such qualms.
The young superstar has taken up the offer of a trial with the Carlton Blues club in the AFL next October. He has been in fine form all year and this has attracted the interest of the Australian side. It is widely believed that his parents were impressed when they met up with a member of the Carlton side.

Thanks for that mate.

This is VERY interesting. We could have Shields come over as soon as this year, maybe even on to the senior list.

Quigley would probably come next year, if he does come.

And then this other kid, Zach Tuohy, who might also come across next year, apparently giving Carlton first crack at him if he decides to come and try his luck at AFL.

Perhaps Quigley this year... Could we have 3 Irish on a rookie list at one time? From that article i can't gage if Tuohy is going to be heading down this year

Are these guys on top of the rumoured 4 juniors that we have been in contact with?

Yes i'd say so, as the others were between 16-17 years of age.

 

[hustla]

haha, yeah. things are happening everyday! the best off-season by any club, EVER!

 

[Jeremias]

Perhaps this year...

Yep, just read that.

This is a very interesting situation.

By the start of the 2008 season, we *COULD* have 4 Irishmen on our list. 3 of them could be on the senior list, as I read somewhere (help please...) that if Shields is offered a contact, he may be placed straight on the senior list.

Despite the fact that Quigley has spent time with Brisbane, if we do pick him up, I imagine that he would be placed on the rookie list.

 

[Pafloyul]

Thanks for that mate.

This is VERY interesting. We could have Shields come over as soon as this year, maybe even on to the senior list.

Quigley would probably come next year, if he does come.

And then this other kid, Zach Tuohy, who might also come across next year, apparently giving Carlton first crack at him if he decides to come and try his luck at AFL.

Are these guys on top of the rumoured 4 juniors that we have been in contact with?

I'm not sure if Touhy is one of the four but the other two aren't teenagers. Doesn't it say that Quigley will try out this year?

One of the 'four' is supposedly Ciaran Sheehan.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Yep, just read that.

This is a very interesting situation.

By the start of the 2008 season, we *COULD* have 4 Irishmen on our list. 3 of them could be on the senior list, as I read somewhere (help please...) that if Shields is offered a contact, he may be placed straight on the senior list.

Despite the fact that Quigley has spent time with Brisbane, if we do pick him up, I imagine that he would be placed on the rookie list.

Sheilds would be an interesting prospect. Kind of a half back, and is described as a bit of a tough fella. Perhaps a better version of David Teague

 

[hustla]

I'm not sure if Touhy is one of the four but the other two aren't teenagers. Doesn't it say that Quigley will try out this year?

One of the 'four' is supposedly Ciaran Sheehan.

Yeah, but Sheehan is under 18 and can't be drafted yet, same as Touhy. Toughy will come down next year this time hopefully. The article does say Quigley is rumoured to be coming down in a couple of weeks for a trial. He's already been to Brisbane and returned back home. He's going to give it another shot with us.

 

[Pafloyul]

Yeah, but Sheehan is under 18 and can't be drafted yet, same as Touhy. Toughy will come down next year this time hopefully. The article does say Quigley is rumoured to be coming down in a couple of weeks for a trial. He's already been to Brisbane and returned back home. He's going to give it another shot with us.

Didn't I just imply that?

Sheilds and Quigley this year, Touhy next and Sheehan sometime after that (hopefully).

 

[hustla]

Didn't I just imply that?

Sheilds and Quigley this year, Touhy next and Sheehan sometime after that (hopefully).

yeah, sorry, I'm out of it, had a bloody finance exam today.

 

[doh its me]

Yep, just read that.

This is a very interesting situation.

By the start of the 2008 season, we *COULD* have 4 Irishmen on our list. 3 of them could be on the senior list, as I read somewhere (help please...) that if Shields is offered a contact, he may be placed straight on the senior list.

Despite the fact that Quigley has spent time with Brisbane, if we do pick him up, I imagine that he would be placed on the rookie list.

I know that Internationals can nominate their club and be guaranteed that they are the only club that take them in the Rookie Draft.
I dont know if the rule would provide the same guarantee in the ND if the player was to nominate there.
Internationals still must use a draft to get to a club.
Theoretically the club could start the season with 1 short on the primary list and promote a rookie.

I think it is very unlikely that any international would be put on a senior list straight away.

 

[Pafloyul]

I know that Internationals can nominate their club and be guaranteed that they are the only club that take them in the Rookie Draft.
I dont know if the rule would provide the same guarantee in the ND if the player was to nominate there.
Internationals still must use a draft to get to a club.
Theoretically the club could start the season with 1 short on the primary list and promote a rookie.

I think it is very unlikely that any international would be put on a senior list straight away.

I think that was just a mix-up somewhere along the line. If they thought Shields was good enough they could simply have him as a nominated rookie. Unless, of course, he thought that the rookie salary was just not good enough for him.

 

[doh its me]

I think that was just a mix-up somewhere along the line. If they thought Shields was good enough they could simply have him as a nominated rookie. Unless, of course, he thought that the rookie salary was just not good enough for him.

Agree it was a mix up, might have even come from an article in an Irish paper.

 

[Horsebox]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gae...ey-rejoins-growing-aussie-exodus-1209579.html

Just copied and pasted a paragraph into google and found this site.

It says where I got it from in the first line!