AN Irish AFL agent has admitted the GAA have succeeded in making the recruitment of young Irish players to Australian Rules clubs more difficult.

DONEGAL skipper and long-time AFL target Michael Murphy expects Australian interest in him to cease following the revoking of controversial agent Ricky Nixon’s licence.

FORMER Roscommon footballer and Melbourne AFL player PaulEarley believes the decision to remove agent Ricky Nixon’s licence will have little or no impact on the Australian Rules recruitment drive in Ireland.

THE teenage sex scandal that has engulfed Ricky Nixon in recent weeks appeared to finally take its toll yesterday when the embattled agent relented and stood down from his role at the helm of his firm and entered rehab for treatment for a “substance abuse problem”.

ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon has confirmed All-Ireland winner Tommy Walsh will make his AFL debut in the side’s NAB Cup opener with Collingwood next week.