Mayo minor captain Cian Hanley is poised to join his brother Pearce at Aussie Rules club Brisbane Lions.

A cruciate ligament injury sustained in Mayo's All-Ireland MFC semi-final defeat to Kerry last month hasn't put the Lions off the trail of the highly-rated Ballaghaderreen teenager, according to The Courier Mail newspaper in Brisbane.

"It is really shattering for him, but we have made a commitment to him and we will stick by him," Brisbane Lions 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."

The 2013 All-Ireland minor winner's proposed move comes after older brother Pearse signed a new five-year contract with the Lions last year. With the Down pair Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney on their way home, there are just six Irish players currently plying their trade in the AFL - Pearce Hanley, Ciaran Sheehan (Cork), Zach Tuohy (Laois), Tommy Walsh (Kerry), Daniel Flynn (Kildare) and Ciaran Byrne (Louth).

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