Should the GAA Severe All Ties with the AFL?

[FatTom]

Mumblins from Carlow today as top minor player is apparentely set to head for the Sydney Swans.

Mickey Harte was quoted along similar lines yesterday.

I'll post both articles soon.

Personally I feel the series itself is a waste of time given the Ozzie's attitude but I would never condemn a player trying to take up a career in professional sport.

[FatTom]

Carlow chiefs unhappy over Aussie move to poach top players today's indo

MANY grassroots officials in the GAA will have their ire raised today following the news another young football star is on his way to an Australian Rules team.

Reports from Carlow indicate the county's leading minor footballer Brendan Murphy is poised to accept a two-year deal with Sydney Swans -- the team Kerry's Tadhg Kennelly plays for.

Murphy - a key figure in Carlow 's route to the Leinster MFC final - has told officials he expects to start life as an aspiring professional in January.

Carlow County Board chairman Pat Deering described the imminent move as a crushing blow. "We can't afford to lose players like him, he is one of the very best talents we have produced in a long time. You would be disappointed that the Australians are recruiting players like Brendan, especially from weaker counties like ourselves," said Deering who is a clubmate of Murphy's.

News of the high-profile departure comes the same week it was reported Armagh youngster Kevin Dyas is to travel Down Under for a trial with Collingwood. Mayo tyro Pierce Hanley and Laois minor Conor Meredith have also been linked with moves to Brisbane Lions.

Tyrone boss Mickey Harte has hit out at the upsurge in recruitment by AFL clubs this summer and he has called on the GAA to sever all links with their Australian counterparts.

He has been a long-time opponent of the International Rules series and he believes it's time for officials to take a stand.

"It's time for the GAA to focus on our own game," he said.

[FatTom]

Time to Call a Halt - from hoganstand.com

Tyrone football boss Mickey Harte says it’s high time the GAA severed its links with the AFL in order to prevent more young footballers from making the exodus to Australian Rules football.

Harte made his call after news broke that Armagh ace Kevin Dyas has gone Down Under for a month’s trial with Collingwood in Melbourne.

"To me one is too many," said Harte. "That’s my personal opinion. But I’m not in a position to tell people what to do.

"The argument is out there that players are going to soccer, players are going to rugby and all the rest. So be it.

"The big difference is, we’re not negotiating with the IRFU or the FAI or the IFA to create a platform where it’s easy for this to happen.

"We are doing this with these AFL men and it’s time we stopped it."

[Piggy]

it will ruin our game if all our best talents are taken away to play aussie rules.
personally i think if players got an incentive to stay playing Gaa instead of going abroad they would stay.
im not saying the GAA should turn professional but maybe things like tax breaks and more college grants for lads who play for county minor, junior, u21 and senior teams.

[Tadhgeen]

It's a difficult one as you can't stop players heading to Australia. Breaking links with AFL would not stop approaches to players in my view.

It's particularly tough on weaker counties. They are more at risk than the likes of Kerry. Although Tadhg K got snapped up - can anyone remind me how that happened?

[Mickmack]

to answer the question being asked............. yes

Professional athletes versus amateur players is highly dangerous. Like putting amateur boxers in with Tyson

[dart]

Our best players need to be looked after better from youth to retirement and beyond.

[jpw1984]

the problem is the AFL clubs are taking these lads at such a young age beef them up into the build of an aussie rules player. Most of fellas that have gone over to OZ in recent years have been county minor players. When the land in OZ dont even play in competitive league games for their AFL clubs for at least a year. At the age of 18 who would turn down the chance to live in OZ play sport and get paid. GAA need to provide more incentives for players.

[mozzy]

Most definitely they should break all ties - they will ruin the future of our game.

[Hoffster]

Breaking ties wouldn't stop the clubs calling.There isn't any way of stopping the AFL clubs from coming over holding trials.
GAA players are now more attractive to AFL clubs do to the success of the imports-Tadhg being most highlighted.
Setanta is starting to improve and Colm Begley is pretty much a firm figure for Brisbane.MArtin Clarke has been dubbed the WONDERKID.

However, The main reason is that AFL is becoming a running game.Yes you have bigmen like Barry Hall at full forward and in the middle but most wing spots are now held by athletic playes that can run.These players are highly effective.With Irish lads you have clean slate-athletic stature with none of the bad habits that players adopt.

While no one likes to see players leave you have to look at it from a players point of view..getting paid to play football,AFL clubs put you through College.
They can go for a year or 2 and give it a try.Then they could come home and be better GAA players.Look at Anthony Tohill, Dermot Early

[kerryman]

Whatever about fellahs leaving to play there, the international rules series is a shambles and should be dropped.

[kerrygold]

ya,scrape it,the international series is a farce.

with croker taking in 50 million a year at the gate and a further 30 odd million as a host to soccer and rugby its a joke that the next generation cant be given enough incentives to stay at home in the form of grants, tax exemptions,scholarships to college,vastly improved expenses schemes.

nobody every came back to me involved in the financial world on this forum with an estimation as to what gaa related activities are worth to the exchequer in this county yearly,it must be a hugely substantial yearly figure...................................................