Austin Gleeson opts out of Waterford hurling panel for 2024

TAKING A BREAK: Waterford star Aussie Gleeson has confirmed he is taking a year out from inter-county hurling in 2024. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Waterford star Aussie Gleeson has confirmed he is taking a year out from inter-county hurling in 2024.

The 2016 Hurler of the Year is hoping the break will rejuvenate his appetite for the game after admitting to losing his spark in recent years.

Gleeson had been persuaded by Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald and the team’s performance advisor Donncha O’Callaghan to stay on for the 2023 season. However, after 10 years playing senior hurling for Waterford the Mount Sion man now feels the time is right for some respite.

“I just don’t have the drive to do it, really,” the 28-year-old told the Irish Examiner. “I need a break for a while. It’s not as if I’m never going to go back or anything like that. As Davy said to me, the door is definitely open if in the next few weeks or next month or two I have a change of heart. I genuinely couldn’t speak any higher of Davy. He was 100 per cent with me about everything over the last year.

“Around this time last year, I was hemming and hawing about playing and I met Davy for the first time in Clonmel and then I met Donncha in Dungarvan and had good chats with them. I spoke to the players after that and made the decision that I was going to go back. They were all huge in me changing my mind.”

Fitzgerald has given his full support to the Mount Sion man. “I admire Aussie unreal. A lot of people don’t know him and often judge him. He’s an outstanding hurler. I’ve told him that if he feels the real buzz back at any stage, he is welcome back.” 

Gleeson’s 2023 season was hampered by injury from the outset. Going into the new year, he had hamstring issues before he suffered a tear in a Division 1, Group B game against Tipperary in March.

He battled back to make substitute appearances in the following month’s Munster SHC games against Limerick and Cork. He began the defeat to Clare but was ruled out of the final round win over Tipperary with a thigh strain.

Gleeson maintains he has unfinished business with Waterford but right now doesn’t feel like he is in the best position to pursue those ambitions.

“I think the break will help in bringing the appetite.

“It might bring it back quicker than I’m thinking about at the moment but I know if I went back in later this year I just wouldn’t give the full commitment that is properly needed and that wouldn’t be fair to the players, the management or myself.

“In 12 months’ time, I could be as hungry as I was when I was 18, 19 coming into the panel. I’m hoping that’s the case, that I’m as eager and buzzing and then I can go back in and give it my all for how ever long the body allows me.” 

Gleeson has spoken before about the difficulties he faced attempting to live up to his Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year winning form in 2016. In what was only his third senior season, he felt burdened by the expectation he placed on himself.

Debuting as an 18-year-old in 2014, he earned an All-Star nomination the following season, the first of three consecutive acknowledgements. His haul of awards in ’16 saw him emulate Tony Kelly’s collection three years earlier.

“The accolades were unbelievable but I don’t think it really kicked in what they meant for a number of years. I struggled with the pressure of it the year or two after it.

“This past season was my 10th – I came straight out of minor and into the seniors. I know a lot of other people have done that and played on longer but I know in my own head I just need to get this break.” 

Aside from getting over to watch games in Anfield and Celtic Park, Gleeson doesn’t have much planned during his hiatus. 

“I’ve a couple of weddings of club-mates next year. I’ll be training and playing away with the club. There’s no one-way flights booked anywhere. It’s just take the breather and enjoy everything that my mates are doing now. Doing things I wasn’t able to do before.”