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Replying To gaelsboy:  "If you have a shot of making it to the big time, it makes perfect sense to concentrate on that sport. You can always come back to gaa if it doesn't work out, have heard of a few clubs getting top notch keepers on board as they didn't quite make the cut in pro soccer, and intermediate/ junior soccer teams tend to have little support or backing so senior gaa with a shot of the county panel is more appealing.
I simply don't get the hate against players choosing to pursue an afl career or the clubs that recruit them, it smacks of the same people who never left their home town and are spiteful of those who did"
You hit it right on the head.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1213 - 17/08/2026 01:27:36    2690128

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "So if a guy is playing for a junior club and a senior club offers him a fantastic opportunity to join them and compete at a higher level and win trophies hed never win at his own club,im assuming you'd wish him well in leaving the junior club."
A world of difference between that and going to the AFL.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8725 - 17/08/2026 10:57:28    2690153

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Xander McGuire has uploaded a interview with Kobe on his YouTube channel young guns inside the system. Young guns are a AFL aflw player management group.
He is a reporter for 7news and afl on channel 7 and son to famous Australian media and ex Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. Kobe already doing very well and Eddie is a very proud Irish Australian so smart move by Kobe.

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 390 - 17/08/2026 14:05:27    2690191

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "A world of difference between that and going to the AFL."
The only real difference is the GAA player would be doing it to achieve as much as he can in gaelic games and win trophies and play at the highest level possible,whereas the fella moving to the AFL is effectively motivated by financial gain.

Both choices are completely reasonable but its totally bizarre that we praise the afl player yet criticise the gaa player.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 282 - 17/08/2026 19:06:02    2690231

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The Irish Independent are reporting that McMorrow among those to feature at a combine held by AFL side Richmond in Athlone on Monday.

It is said that there was between 15-20 GAA players in attendance, including McMorrow's Dubs teammate Tim Deering. Leitrim's Barry McNulty and Kerry U20 stars Evan Boyle and Daniel Kirby also took part.

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 390 - 18/08/2026 18:17:29    2690371

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "So if a guy is playing for a junior club and a senior club offers him a fantastic opportunity to join them and compete at a higher level and win trophies hed never win at his own club,im assuming you'd wish him well in leaving the junior club."
That has nothing whatsoever to do with my point about people going to play professionally Australia, but to answer your question I would have no issue with that. Why should a player have to spend his playing career hacking away with a junior club if he has aspirations to play senior club or beyond?

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2673 - 18/08/2026 19:55:22    2690376

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Replying To Bon:  "That has nothing whatsoever to do with my point about people going to play professionally Australia, but to answer your question I would have no issue with that. Why should a player have to spend his playing career hacking away with a junior club if he has aspirations to play senior club or beyond?"
Bon that leads on to other problems then. Richer clubs would be able to offer better "expenses" to incentivise the better players to join them, and the big will get bigger and the small will disappear.
Although Parnells showed how that could all end up too......

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20529 - 19/08/2026 15:04:31    2690463

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Barry McNulty is one of the best players I've seen it would be a shame to lose him. Talk online about AFL and some Irish journalists have some kind of arrangement not too much detail about it so far but let's see what comes out.

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 390 - 19/08/2026 17:18:12    2690479

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Replying To Viking66:  "Bon that leads on to other problems then. Richer clubs would be able to offer better "expenses" to incentivise the better players to join them, and the big will get bigger and the small will disappear.
Although Parnells showed how that could all end up too......"
As the Country becomes more urbanised and people move about more the great GAA thing of playing for your native place will become less relevant.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 863 - 19/08/2026 17:43:04    2690481

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "The only real difference is the GAA player would be doing it to achieve as much as he can in gaelic games and win trophies and play at the highest level possible,whereas the fella moving to the AFL is effectively motivated by financial gain.

Both choices are completely reasonable but its totally bizarre that we praise the afl player yet criticise the gaa player."
Fair point.

Players stay loyal to their club in most cases. Might play for another club if they moved for work. Many still travel hone for training when they move, for a while anyway. Circumstances later might get them to change clubs. I worked with a Leitrim man in Dublin in early 2000s, he travelled home to Kiltubrid for training midweek. More important than the GAA he was a gentleman. Made the Leitrim squad a few years later. Don't think winning at a higher standard is the sole motivation for players to go to 'bigger' clubs. We criticise the GAA player because it's not the GAA ethos. But was there not a rule one time where a player could play junior for his home club and senior for another, even within the county? I could have imagined that in fairness!

I think that some criticise the players going to AFL because the AFL are clever and open in recruiting players because a good Gaelic Footballer has a profile that can soon be adapted to being a good AFL player. They're getting them from nothing and hindering the club the player is leaving. Unlike a soccer or rugby team taking a contracted player from a soccer or rugby team and paying a transfer fee. The player moving to AFL doesn't get a whole lot of praise, but less bad reaction than players swapping clubs fir higher honours.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8725 - 19/08/2026 17:50:13    2690482

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Replying To Bon:  "That has nothing whatsoever to do with my point about people going to play professionally Australia, but to answer your question I would have no issue with that. Why should a player have to spend his playing career hacking away with a junior club if he has aspirations to play senior club or beyond?"
They don't have to, but thankfully for the vast majority of players, playing for their local club means enough to them that they value it more than having a chance of winning with a club that they weren't raised in.
It's a very important ethos of the GAA and is what makes that club and community connection so strong. Compared to local soccer clubs, where players hop around regularly. I'd hate if the GAA became that. We'd lose an awful lot.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 3003 - 19/08/2026 18:50:13    2690500

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Kerry duo Evan Boyle and Daniel Kirby offered contracts from AFL club

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 390 - 19/08/2026 22:29:31    2690524

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Replying To Viking66:  "Bon that leads on to other problems then. Richer clubs would be able to offer better "expenses" to incentivise the better players to join them, and the big will get bigger and the small will disappear.
Although Parnells showed how that could all end up too......"
But its a great opportunity for the player and if he wants to do it who are we to stop him?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 282 - 19/08/2026 22:58:23    2690527

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Replying To Bon:  "The bottom line is that it's a fantastic opportunity for any young guy or girl to turn down, if he never makes a bob out of it or makes a name for himself there. It's about an experience. How many people get the opportunity to go to Australia play a bit of ball and get paid to do so, and not have to work on a building site or some other menial carry on.
If it doesn't work out it so be it, at least you go and try these things. Life's too short to not take opportunities that are handed to you."
100% agree with that.

I'd add that the main problem with AFL is that they come for players once they are starting to make the break through into the public eye. Plenty of players have gone through GAA nurseries but chosen to try and make a break through in other sports (Ruby or Soccer) at the age of 14 or 15 and there is not a lot said about it. Either way - best of luck to the young lads getting a chance to become a professional sportsman.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 503 - 20/08/2026 09:31:45    2690540

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