Poll backs retention of U-17 Rules series

A MASSIVE 98% of respondents to an internet GAA poll have rejected the idea that the International Rules U17 series should be scrapped if young Irish players continue to be lured down under by Australian Rules clubs.

The partnership between the GAA and the AFL - both at senior and underage levels - has been under the microscope after unacceptable levels of violence in the second Test in Melbourne and the signing of Laois youngsters Colm Begley and Brendan Quigley by the Brisbane Lions.

Meath’s Shane O’Rourke, son of former player and media pundit Colm, was also approached by the Lions who held a trial in Limerick during the summer.

There were also fears in Down at one point that they would lose their All-Ireland winning minor captain James Colgan and team-mate Martin Clarke.

It was also reported this week that the GAA are to are proposing that Irish players must be recruited to senior AFL panels and not rookie lists as is currently the practice when officials from the two codes meet for discussions in the new year.

The hope is that such legislation would make Irish players a far less attractive proposition to Australian clubs.

Irish players that have made the grade in the AFL have taken at least two to three years to adapt to the oval ball game although the vast majority fail to make the breakthrough to the senior ranks even after that time.

The Lions have already admitted they see Ireland as an integral part of their annual recruitment drives but it would seem that the concerns some senior GAA officials hold over a ‘player drain’ aren’t shared by the general public.

The poll appeared on the Laois page of the hoganstand.com website and, though supporters in the county rued the loss of Begley and Quigley at the time, there seems to be little bitterness about their decision.

When asked if the U17 series should be abandoned if more players were to follow the route chosen by the pair of 2003 All-Ireland minor winners, only 1% of the 1,276 respondents agreed.

On the other hand, 98% said, “no, young people are entitled to every opportunity” while the other 1% voted “only one or two go, so it is not a big problem.”