David Moran has described Declan O'Sullivan as "the best leader I have ever played with."

Speaking to the Irish media after yesterday's International Rules training session at Paterson's Stadium in Perth, the All Star midfielder gave this reaction to news of his Kerry team-mate's retirement:

"I suppose in one way it's very disappointing. From a personal point of view I always got on very well with him. He was certainly the best leader I ever played with and he was Kerry football for as long as I've been involved in it.

"The injuries were killing him, but if you see the way he was playing in the Munster final you're saying, 'This man is just inhuman and he might go on forever'. He was coming to the end of his career and we were hoping he'd stay on but he owes Kerry nothing. He's been an unbelievable player and the best of luck in retirement.

"The thing that sticks out in my mind is more recently, in extra-time in the Mayo game in Limerick (All-Ireland semi-final). I think it was Aidan (O'Shea) who came in and hit him a good slap and he didn't even move him.

"He just slipped it to Jonathan Lyne and it was over the bar.

"It was an unbelievable turning point in that game. All through his career, because he was so good, he was targeted a lot. He was well able to take it. When he was on song, he was unstoppable."

A former AFL triallist, Moran explained how his interest in Aussie Rules goes back to his primary school days.

"It is because I'm from the same county as Tadhg (Kennelly) and I remember John O'Keeffe was my principal in school and when he was manager of the Irish team I was in school and Tadhg was home from Australia and the buzz around it was unreal.

"I remember one year Dr Con (Murphy) was the doctor. He got my brother in and we were in the dressing room, getting gear off Darragh Ó Sé, Tomás Ó Sé and maybe it was just that that captivated me as well. It definitely was something I always wanted to do."

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