Brennan to meet AFL agent 'out of courtesy'

GAA president Nickey Brennan and director general Paraic Duffy are set to meet with Aussie Rules agent Ricky Nixon 'out of courtesy' next week, in order to pinpoint the Australian's plans in relation to the recruitment of GAA players for Aussie Rules.

It was reported this week that Nixon's company Flying Start Management are currently creating a draft-like system for Aussie Rules clubs interested in investing in GAA players, with Nixon stating that six clubs have expressed an interest in the scheme to date.

Today at the launch of the ESB minor hurling and football championships at Croke Park and a new scheme by the ESB to plant 20,000 Ash trees, Brennan confirmed that both he and Duffy have arranged a meeting with Nixon for next week.

"No talks have taken place (yet) but Paraic Duffy and I will be meet him, purely out of courtesy. We want to see what he is saying," Brennan explained.

However he confirmed that nothing will be set in stone at this meeting and that the GAA are only meeting with Nixon as a matter of courtesy and to quantify his intentions, as the GAA are solely relying on media reports to date.

"I should add that this is not to meet him to agree anything or to approve anything. We want to just see what is actually going on here.

"All we are hearing at the moment is speculation in the media as to what is going on. We will be meeting with this gentleman next week and we will certainly then take a position clearly on what we see is happening.

"Whether it is advisable for our association to have any involvement with it or not, we'll hold fire on that," he added.

"I certainly can confirm that we are going to meet him but I wouldn't want anyone to think that is meeting him as that is certainly not the case."

And while Brennan wants to be clear on the intentions of Nixon and the Australians, he is also aware that the GAA is powerless to stop young talented players from heading to Australia to play Aussie Rules should they wish to.

Laois's Conor Meredith, James Kielt of Derry and Donegal's Michael Murphy are among 20 young top GAA players who are set to meet Nixon over the next week.

Brennan said: "I have also made the point (to the AFL) that we can't stop young lads going to Australia. However it is a different story if somebody tries to come and set up a formal recruitment drive here.

"That may well be what's being talked about here, I'm not sure.

"That's why we need to be clear on what is actually happening here and being proposed. Then we will make our position quite clear at the end of that."

Meanwhile, Brennan confirmed that the Ireland International Rules panel will be playing a New South Wales selection in a Gaelic football game on November 2 as part of the two-Test series Down Under.

"I think in fairness to the Irish diaspora out there and when our best footballers travel to Australia, they should get the opportunity to play a Gaelic football game," he said.

"So it will perhaps not be too overly competitive but at the same time I think that they are entitled to feel that when we bring the 'cream of the crop' to Australia that we would give them an opportunity to see them in action in a Gaelic football game.

"That will take place on the Sunday, two days after the final Test."