GAELIC GAMES NEWS:AFL GRAND Final runners-up St Kilda's have halted the recent trend of Irish players returning from professional careers in Aussie Rules by signing Kerry's Tommy Walsh on a two-year deal.
Walsh, the 2008 young footballer of the year and one of the most marketable stars in Gaelic games, has been pursued by St Kilda’s for over a year. The pursuit of Walsh escalated after his physique, natural pace and agility impressed during a trial last December.
“Essentially, the Tommy Walsh deal has taken place as a first-round draft pick, based on his size, ability and credentials,” said general manager Matthew Drain yesterday. “He is very agile for his height.”
Drain arrived in Kerry on Sunday to present contract details to Walsh before a two-year contract was signed at the family home in Tralee yesterday.
“I’m very excited,” said Walsh. “I’m glad all the speculation is over and I’m looking forward to going over to the Saints. It was a very tough decision but it was just too good an opportunity to pass up.”
St Kilda’s intend to mould Walsh into an AFL forward, whereas most GAA players, like former Down minor Marty Clarke, Tadhg Kennelly and Setanta Ó hAilpín become defenders, mainly due to the alien oval-shaped ball.
Walsh’s Kerins O’Rahilly’s club-mate David Moran will travel out to Melbourne with him next month for a two-week trial.
Confirmation of Walsh and Moran’s departure is not just a blow for Kerry but the GAA in general after the exodus of players seemed to be reversing with the return of Clarke and Kennelly.
Speaking yesterday before the announcement, Kerry manager Jack O’Connor was resigned to losing both players but only in the short-term. “They would be a massive loss – they are the future of Kerry football. But it is very hard for a young fella to turn down that type of opportunity. Playing a game professionally in a country like Australia with the weather they have and the lifestyle.
“Of course they’d be a huge loss, but the fact is there are more people coming back from Australia than are going out there. One way or the other, they will be back playing for Kerry again at some stage in the future.”
O’Connor was also asked about revelations in Kennelly’s autobiography when he admitted to intentionally fouling Cork midfielder Nicholas Murphy in the opening seconds of the All-Ireland final.
“I read it all right. I haven’t discussed it with him. I didn’t know about it until Sunday when I read the paper. What can I say? I’d need to talk to the man himself to see where he’s coming from because it certainly wasn’t part of our modus operandi.
“Our plan going into the final was to avoid Cork’s physicality. That’s one of their strengths – they are a huge, strong team and our game plan was to keep the ball moving as quick as we could.”
He could have been sent off? O’Connor continued. “It was his first All-Ireland final so he was obviously hyped up, but at the same time you have to play with controlled aggression.
“It’s a bit disappointing the way it came out . . . I just think Tadhg was hyped up and tore into the first red jersey he saw.”
Meanwhile, GAA president Christy Cooney confirmed last night that incident in last month’s All-Ireland final could be revisited by the association’s management committee.
