Mayo’s Hanley set to make Lions debut after meteoric rise

THE increasing AFL recruitment scramble in Ireland has been vindicated yet again with news that Mayo’s Pierce Hanley will make his senior debut for the Brisbane Lions this weekend – just six months after his first reserve game for the Gold Coast club.

Hanley continues the trend began by clubmate Colm Begley and Collingwood’s Martin Clarke which has seen Irish recruits forego the previously accepted two or three-year probation period before making their bows at the top level.

Previous recruits like Tadhg Kennelly and Setanta Ó hAilpín took that long to learn the intricacies of the game before making headway in their respective first-team squads at Sydney Swans and Carlton but Irish players are now providing a more instant return.

The increasing confidence in the capabilities of Irish players is highlighted by the fact that Hanley’s first game will be a virtual play-off decider for the Lions, who are looking to recapture the glory days of the early millennium when they won three Premierships in succession.

With the Aussie Rule code becoming more about athleticism and less about brawn, Irish players are proving more adaptable while increasing fitness levels amongst GAA players means they have less catching up to do in that regard when they arrive down under.

Agent Ricky Nixon is due to hold a recruitment camp in Castlebar at the end of the month and AFL clubs that had previously ignored the talent pool here have shown a new-found interest in the “Irish Experiment”.

Essendon is just the latest outfit to join the rush with Longford’s Michael Quinn and Limerick’s Ian Ryan both receiving glowing reports from manager Matthew Knights after their recent trials there. “It seems like the game of Gaelic football lends itself to players being physically fit and adept to Australian Rules,” said Knight.

Hanley’s swift elevation is all the more remarkable given the fact that, despite an impressive start with the second string last February, his chances of a promotion seemed impossible as late as last month after a serious hamstring injury which appeared to have stalled his progress.

Hanley will make his debut against Carlton at the Gabba in one of two changes made to the Lions team. Ironically, Laoisman Begley is one of the two players to make way for Hanley and Antony Corrie in the fixture.

Lions recruiting manager Graeme Allan is long on record in describing Hanley as a “special talent” and staff at the club are of the belief that the player who won the Ron Barassi medal for player of the 2006 U17 series against the Australians will prove even better than Begley in the long run.

“I would like to think I’m close to getting a game,” said Hanley on Wednesday before confirmation arrived that papers requesting his elevation to the senior roster had been accepted, “but we will just have to wait and see what happens.

“I have picked up on the basics of the game pretty quick but I am on a learning curve and I have still been making a mistake or two playing in the reserves. I have been mainly playing in the defence since I came over here but I was actually tried out on the wing last weekend and I really enjoyed it.’’