The Irish Are Coming, Hurrah! Hurrah!

[goodie]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=116513

"Tommy's a great player but Australian Rules is more suited to shorter, quicker players."

I know the GAA wants to keep their players, but that's just sad.

[ace]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=116513

"Tommy's a great player but Australian Rules is more suited to shorter, quicker players."

I know the GAA wants to keep their players, but that's just sad.

That was said by Essendon's Michael Quinn who was their Irish recruit for the season just completed.
Essendon shyte trying to talk Tommy out of coming.

[thirty-seven!?]

Does anyone know how long Marty Clarke was in the system before he was ready to play?

Was upgraded from the rookie list from what I remember.... and looked like a player from the get go..... Not sure if that was in his first year out though....

Correct - upgraded from the rookie list in his first season and was terrific...
It is worth mentioning though that Clarke was 3 years younger that Walsh, and therefore was able to adjust better to the new game. Still, nothing to say Walsh wouldnt make it...

[borderbarry]

I think a reason we recruited Colm Begley was to help the Irish boys adjust to Melbourne and AFL etc. Now we just need the Irish boys.

[borderbarry]

If we get the two of them does anybody have any idea how we will use them? what positions they will play in?

[ace]

If we get the two of them does anybody have any idea how we will use them? what positions they will play in?

Tommy Walsh will knock Barry Hall out cold then David Moran will grab the ball and kick the premiership winning goal.

[S.A Saint]

If we get the two of them does anybody have any idea how we will use them? what positions they will play in?

Tommy Walsh will knock Barry Hall out cold then David Moran will grab the ball and kick the premiership winniing goal.

going by that Walsh will prob play fullback and moran will kick the ball over 300 metres to win the game ..... I LIKE

[ace]

If we get the two of them does anybody have any idea how we will use them? what positions they will play in?

Tommy Walsh and Riewoldt alternating between FF and CHF.
Kosi into the ruck, marking around the ground, except at centre bounces.
David Moran at CHB.

I am sure RL will know what to do with them.

[saintsRrising]

If we get the two of them does anybody have any idea how we will use them? what positions they will play in?

IMO too early to say...

They have to play some football first...gets some games into them.

They are both big enough to be KPP's but at which end. Games will show if they are more suited to up forward or down back.

Moran is evidently lightly built though and that may s
ee him on a flank.

[bergholt]

Kosi into the ruck, marking around the ground, except at centre bounces.

ffs, when has this ever worked? five games in the middle of 05. that's it. let's not even pretend in jest that kosi's a ruckman, because he's obviously not.

[ace]

I just had to bump this post up.


BECAUSE THE IRISH IS DEFINITELY COMING - HURRAH HURRAH

AND WE HAVE GOT HIS SIGNATURE

http://www.saints.com.au/season2009/new ... fault.aspx

[chook23]

I just had to bump this post up.

why??

to have a tug of indulgence

[ace]

NO CAUSE HE IS COMING, WE GOT HIS SIGNATURE.
Read my update to my post above

[Iceman234]

I just had to bump this post up.

why??

to have a tug of indulgence

It'll be a fair tug though, is an exciting signing.

[ace]

Not only have we signed Tommy Walsh we signed the best mate of David Moran.
David Moran is expected to come to St Kilda for a trial, if the club likes what it sees, Tommy's signing will put St Kilda in first place to get David's signature.
Tommy and David are team mates at their local intra-county club Kerins O'Rahilly's and in the county Kerry teams.
They have grown up playing together.

[ace]

Get the number 4 jumper out of storage, the moths can eat number 3 instead.

[thirty-seven!?]

Not only have we signed Tommy Walsh we signed the best mate of David Moran.
David Moran is expected to come to St Kilda for a trial, if the club likes what it sees, Tommy's signing will put St Kilda in first place to get David's signature.
Tommy and David are team mates at their local intra-county club Kerins O'Rahilly's and in the county Kerry teams.
They have grown up playing together.

any more info on Moran... really struggling to find much info on him other than his height and weight...

[ace]

Not only have we signed Tommy Walsh we signed the best mate of David Moran.
David Moran is expected to come to St Kilda for a trial, if the club likes what it sees, Tommy's signing will put St Kilda in first place to get David's signature.
Tommy and David are team mates at their local intra-county club Kerins O'Rahilly's and in the county Kerry teams.
They have grown up playing together.

any more info on Moran... really struggling to find much info on him other than his height and weight...

Was in the senior Kerry squad but did not get to play in the All Ireland final.
Tommy played.

[ace]

Waiting to see the Kerry GAA supporters reaction at

http://kerrygaa.proboards.com/index.cgi?


http://kerrygaa.proboards.com/index.cgi ... 334&page=6

[Beej]

FROM WWW.ADELAIDENOW.COM.AU

Sorry mods, couldn't find the actual link to the article

Gaelic star Tommy Walsh signs with St Kilda

Mark Robinson | October 19, 2009 11:30pm

ST KILDA has completed a stunning hit and run raid on Ireland's best young gaelic player, Tommy Walsh, signing him late last night to a two-year rookie deal.

To the horror of the Gaelic Athletic Association and his county, Kerry, Saints list manager Matthew Drain flew from New York to Dublin overnight Sunday to sign Walsh, the winner of the 2008 Young Player of the Year.

Walsh, who is 194cm and weighs 99kg, is a dynamic forward and is considered the brightest young star of gaelic football, comparable in excitement to the AFL's Buddy Franklin.

Irish media have speculated for months on the future of the 21-year-old, believing he would turn his back on an AFL career and remain at gaelic champions, Kerry.

Walsh last night scuttled their dreams.

"I'm very excited," Walsh said. "I'm glad all the speculation is over and I'm looking forward to going over.

"It was a very tough decision ... but it was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

"I'm not under any illusions about what's ahead and hopefully it will work out.".

The Saints swooped last night, which was part of a frenetic four-day round-the-world odyssey for Drain.

Drain flew out of Melbourne Friday lunch-time, arrived in New York on Friday night, left New York for Dublin on Sunday night, arrived in Dublin yesterday and will fly back to New York tonight in anticipation of talking to Luke Ball, who is on holiday, about his future.

Drain said last night it was "very pleasing" to finally sign Walsh. "From our point of point of view it was one of the reasons we gave up pick 16 (for Andrew Lovett) because in the back of our mind we thought we could get him," Drain said.

"He is the best credentialed player to come out of Ireland.

"He's very different to a lot of key forwards going around, he's very agile for his height, he was in the Stephen Hill range in agility testing."

Player manager Ricky Nixon, who 'found' Walsh via his Irish Academy, said last night Walsh would have "the eyes of two countries on him instead of one".

"Hopefully he will revolutionise Irish players in the AFL," Nixon said. "Most, if not all, have been running midfielders but Tommy is a forward and no Irish player has come to play forward in the AFL ... he is a powerhouse player.

"He's built like Wayne Carey and that's not to say he will play like Wayne Carey because he won't, but he is an imposing player."

The Saints will try to fast-track Walsh's development with the view to playing him beside skipper Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke next year.

"He's a born leader, he's from an outstanding family, his father Sean was an absolute legend for Kerry and his two younger bothers are standout players in the juniors."

The GAA and the Kerry heartland will be devastated by Walsh's decision, which comes just weeks after Collingwood pair Marty Clarke and Kevin Dyas returned to Ireland.

Walsh, who will earn about $50,000 per year, will be possibly joined at St Kilda by Kerry teammate David Moran, a running midfielder.

Eye-catching is Walsh's athleticism and, obviously, his size. It puts him in the bracket of Sydney's Adam Goodes, St Kilda's Sam Gilbert, Port's Warren Tredrea and Carlton's Jarrad Waite who are listed as 194cm in the AFL Season Guide.

Walsh spent a week at St Kilda last December and while ecstatic about the experience, he did not commit himself to a potential AFL career.

"I met the first-team coach, the captain Nick Riewoldt and some of the players," he said. "I felt comfortable."

The Saints have tracked him through the gaelic season, while Walsh himself has been developing his AFL skills set. "With most players who come out of Ireland, we watch them, talk to them, and teach them them to kick a drop punt," Nixon said.

"The advantage of him coming out here a year ago is that he's had a Sherrin in his hands for a year to practise his skills.

Drain, meanwhile, is set to seek out Ball in New York on his return tomorrow in the States.

"We'll try to work through things over the next few weeks," Drain said

[ace]

This is an old article from Ireland's "Independent" newspaper.



Friday June 26 2009

AT least four more talented young GAA players will follow Antrim's Niall McKeever to the AFL, according to agent Ricky Nixon.

McKeever, who has been named at wing-forward on the Saffrons team to face Cavan in the Ulster semi-final tomorrow, has just inked a two-year international rookie contract with the Brisbane Lions reported to be worth a minimum of AUS$120,000 (€69,000).

And Nixon, who has the Lions, North Melbourne, Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda signed up to his scouting network, believes that more will follow before the year is out.

"I expect between three and five players to be invited to Australia before the end of the year. Niall is the first of those five."

McKeever impressed at Nixon's training camp held in Coolmine a few months ago. Those trials were also attended by Kerry youngster Barry John Walsh, whose brother Tommy has already been over to St Kilda; Derry's James Kielt; Tomás McCann from Antrim; Monaghan's Darren Hughes and Armagh midfielder Charlie Vernon.

Kielt, however, has already ruled out a move Down Under.

Nixon is not solely responsible for players trying their luck in the AFL.

Many clubs are acting on an individual basis, with Carlton having already agreed deals with Ciarán Sheehan (Cork) and Zach Tuohy (Laois), while Chris McKaigue (Derry) is currently mulling over an offer from Sydney and Kildare minor Paul Cribbin has just returned from Australia having reportedly impressed during trials with Collingwood.

[ace]

There is no Brother- Brother rule in the rookie draft.
But all Irish rookies can sign with a club and be pre-selected in the rookie draft.
AND Tommy has younger brothers.

Like the O'hAilpins, the younger brothers are most likely going to want to follow their older brother when they choose a club.

[ace]

Tommy's mate, David Moran is expected to try out with St Kilda for 2 weeks late next month.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/i ... 5789033919

In the Irish Times, under the headline, "St Kilda's (sic) finally sign up Walsh", Kerry manager Jack O'Connor said he was resigned to losing Walsh and teammate David Moran, who will try out with the Saints weeks late next month.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 54859.html

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic- ... 18312.html

[ace]

Do we want all three of them.

Barry John Walsh was best on ground in a team which included his older brother Tommy and David Moran.

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=119892

[undecided]

Has anyone thought of the possibility that Walsh and Moran have been kicking a footy around with each other for the last year?