Walsh: big brother will bide his time in Oz

BARRY JOHN WALSH has revealed that big brother Tommy isn’t pinning his hopes on becoming an instant Aussie Rules hit with St Kilda.

Tommy was overlooked for his first slice of competitive action last weekend in the AFL’s pre-season NAB Cup.

But the club’s one point win over Collingwood means he has another possibility of a first hit-out in the Saints’ colours this weekend.

They play the Sydney Swans and any taste of action would intriguingly pit Tommy against his former Kerry colleague Tadhg Kennelly.

Between them, they scored six of the Kingdom’s points in last September’s All-Ireland final win over Cork.

But Kennelly’s subsequent return to the club he won an AFL title with in 2005 and Walsh’s departure for a new life in Melbourne means they’re now very much on opposing sides.

Barry John says that, in reality, Tommy still has a huge amount to learn about the oval ball game and is more likely to view Kennelly as a role model than an adversary.

“Tommy wasn’t in the squad for last week’s game so hopefully he might get into it this week and it’ll be interesting to see if they come against each other,” said rising Kerry star Barry John.

“It’s only a friendly competition and Tommy is still a long way off playing the AFL games.

“It’s a very high standard. He’s still a long way off fitness and the skill level but he knew himself going over that it was going to be very difficult. It’s more of a long-term thing than trying to get (into the team) in the short-term.”

Kennelly never hid his desire to return to play for Kerry after leaving for his first spell with the Swans.

He was as good his word, coming back last year to inspire their unlikely All-Ireland success and, inevitably, fans are wondering if Tommy has built a comeback into his long-term plans.

“I don’t know to be completely honest,” said Barry John. “When he went over he only signed a two year contract so he won’t look past that. He’s going to take the two years as it is and see how he goes and we’ll see after that. He’ll make his mind up after the two years.”

For all of the local talk about Tommy – nicknamed ‘Ivan’ by the Saints because of his likeness to Dolph Lundgren’s muscular Rocky IV character Ivan Drago – making a first team mark early on in 2010, the likelihood is that he’ll have to bide his time.

“There was an A versus B game last week, he found the pace of it difficult and he found the skills hard so it’s very hard to tell,” said Barry John.

“He’s very new to the game, he hasn’t found a position yet. They’re playing him in a variety of positions to try and find one that suits him. Only time will tell.”

In the meantime, Kerry will seek to move on without the big man. He isn’t, of course, the only significant withdrawal from the 2009 panel with Kennelly, Darragh O Sé and Diarmuid Murphy all apparently playing their last game at Croke Park in September.

Despite featuring in losses so far this season the powerful corner-forward clipped 1-1 against Dublin and shot a point against Cork.

“Hopefully now (I can break through),” said Barry John. “I think Jack O’Connor is going to give everyone a fair chance and hopefully when my chance comes along I can take it.”

Does it add extra pressure that people will expect the little brother to fill the big brother’s shoes? “It’s not something I’d really consider. I’ll just to perform on my own merits.”