GAA look to curb poaching of young footballers

THE GAA’S best footballers may have left Australia empty handed after the last International Rules Series but the Association’s president and top officials certainly achieved more than a little revenge yesterday.

After a lengthy meeting with their AFL counterparts yesterday, Sean Kelly and Croke Park bosses demanded their hosts halt the poaching of Ireland’s young footballing talents.

The two organisations then agreed to harsher penalties for players involved in misconduct in the annual International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland.

The GAA is still concerned about AFL clubs luring teenagers from Ireland and AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has all but guaranteed there will be a change to the rule that has seen the likes of Sydney premiership star Tadhg Kennelly travel to Australia.

Mr Demetriou and Mr Kelly said both organisations would report back to the AFL Commission and GAA Central Council before any final decision could be announced.

Mr Kelly said: “It’s probably somewhat exaggerated because the figures actually don’t stack up in terms of the amount of rookies that come out [to Australia] from Ireland and the vast majority that did come out [to Australia], come back again [to Ireland].

“There are only about three or four - Sean Wight, Jim Stynes and Tadhg Kennelly - that have been really successful, but, nevertheless, it is an issue. A lot of people have been concerned particularly after a coaching session was held [last year] in Ireland and a number of players were offered contracts here.

“Players that are 17 or 18-years-old shouldn’t be uprooted from their families, and coming out and maybe coming back again, but we think with the AFL’s co-operation - and indeed initiative - we’ll be able to stem that tide as well.”

Mr Demetriou confirmed: “We’ve taken those concerns on board and have given a commitment to the GAA to review those rules that relate to international rookies, particularly when there are a lot of young lads who are going home.”

The Brisbane Lions have added two Irish youngsters to their rookie list in 2006 - Colm Begley and Brendan Quigley - and it is this type of recruiting that concerns the GAA.

While Australian-based footballers are given a one-year minimum on the rookie list, international rookies are guaranteed two years to assist and fast-track their development.

Carlton’s Setanta Ó’hAilpín spent two seasons on Carlton’s rookie list after being lured from Ireland and he’s been upgraded to the senior list for 2006. Ó hAilpín’s younger brother Aisake is on Carlton’s rookie list for a second season in 2006.

Mr Demetriou said international rookie rule changes were likely to occur although he could not confirm what would take place. “I suspect it will change but we will discuss it internally among our executive group,” he said.

“I’ll brief the executive group on our discussions and consult with the clubs and if we feel there is a change necessary, which I am pretty confident there will be, then it will go to the commission because any change in rule goes to the commission.”

The Associations have also introduced harsher penalties for players involved in misconduct in the annual International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland.

The changes come in the wake of Australian co-captain Chris Johnson’s five-test suspension incurred last October after he was found guilty of striking in the second test at the Telstra Dome.

The AFL and the GAA have agreed that any player guilty of a red card offence will automatically be sent off for the rest of the game with no replacement and a penalty kick awarded to the opposition.

A tribunal hearing would then determine any further penalty, with a minimum of a one-match suspension for any guilty verdict.

As well, any player guilty of a yellow card offence will be sent off for 15 minutes, with a replacement allowed, and no penalty kick.

Any player receiving two yellow cards will be sent off for the rest of the game with no replacement. A tribunal hearing would then determine any further penalty.

Mr Demetriou said: “There has been agreement by both the AFL and the GAA that there were some very unsavoury incidents in last year’s series and that we are one - as we’ve always been - on the attitude to zero tolerance for on-field violence.”

Mr Kelly echoed Mr Demetriou’s sentiments.

“To have proper discipline, you must have proper deterrents and it’s quite obvious to everybody that we didn’t have proper deterrents up until now, but I think this will go a long way to stemming it,” Mr Kelly said. “You’re penalising the player immediately and you’re also penalising the team, because you’ll be down a player and it’ll also be a penalty awarded against them - that’s a six-point shot - and I think that in itself will focus the minds of the players and management.”

Although yesterday’s announcement is a welcome step, there was a feeling yesterday among some county officials that the measures did not go far enough. “There was a feeling last year that, to be meaningful, any suspensions had to be carried forward into both games’ codes,” said one official.

“It would have been the main deterrent but they chose not to go down that road. That said, it is still an improvement on the present situation.”