Hawthorn sad to see Kilkenny go

Reports in Australia claim homesickness was the reason for Ciaran Kilkenny’s decision to quit his three-year contract with Melbourne AFL club Hawthorn.

However, sources close to the 19-year-old insist it had nothing to do with homesickness and he had enjoyed Australia but wanted to pursue a career in Gaelic games.

Hawthorn’s recruiting manager Graham Wright said the club understand Kilkenny’s reasoning but regret his decision.

“While we’re extremely disappointed, we respect and accept Ciarán’s decision at this time. Ciarán transitioned into the club well, enjoyed all aspects of training and all of his feedback was positive, so news of his decision was quite unexpected. We understand that ultimately the pull of home in Ireland; his family, friends, football and hurling was a significant factor in Ciarán’s decision, which was easier to accept having acknowledged that our club and its members demand a degree of commitment and dedication from every player on the Hawthorn list..”