New rules set to reduce GAA exports Down Under

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

Dubliner Clara McCormack, one of only six female AFL-accredited agents who now works with Titan Management after leaving Ricky Nixon’s Flying Start earlier this year, believes the new rules adopted by the AFL following talks with the GAA makes it riskier for clubs to wager on Gaelic footballers. “The rules have changed and it’s harder for Irish guys to come over now,” said Melbourne-based agent McCormack. “They used to be able to be signed as international rookies and they still can be if they’re playing in Ireland but if they play here in Australia for three months plus (in a development year) they’re considered Australian players.

“There are only eight rookie spots so a club would be taking a big risk going for an Irish guy who could leave the country for one reason or another over a not so good Australian player who has lived here all their lives.

“Speaking to recruitment managers they’ve said ‘look, it’s a big call to make’. They would need to spend a lot of time with development coaches and there’s a lot of expense involved.

“But they would also be taking up one of eight spots on their list plus they don’t come under the salary cap if they’re international rookies.

“The minimum wage for an Australian rookie for AUD$41,000 so the Irish player would have to be paid that.”

From Flying Start to Titan, McCormack has brought Galway’s Ronan Steede and Ross Wherity from Donegal who have been playing for Geelong League club, the Grovedale Tigers.

Richmond. who will sign Westmeath’s John Heslin as an international rookie in December, have shown an interest in Steede after he impressed in a Nixon-organised training camp last year.

McCormack believes “the Irish experiment” isn’t regarded as highly in the AFL as it used to be.

“Only five clubs went over to Ireland in 2010. There was only going to be three this year with Flying Start before things changed (for Nixon who lost his agent’s licence following an improper relationship with a 17-year-old girl).

“Big clubs like Collingwood have full-time scouts in Ireland so they don’t need agents there but there are not as many players coming through as they did following Tadhg Kennelly’s success.”