Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce signs new contract with AFL champions Brisbane

Joyce has signed a one-year contract extension with Brisbane Lions

Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce has signed a one-year contract extension with 2024 AFL Premiership winners Brisbane Lions.

The former Kilkenny minor All-Ireland winning captain was an emergency sub for the Grand Final as Brisbane hammered the Sydney Swans by 60 points at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last weekend.

His team-mate Conor McKenna became the second ever player to win both an All-Ireland and AFL Grand Final.

Joyce played six AFL games this season. The Rower Inistioge clubman first made the move to Australia with St Kilda. He was delisted in 2022 after playing 13 games for the Melbourne side.

In 2014, Joyce captained Kilkenny’s minors to All-Ireland victory over Limerick. The same year his brother, Kieran, was Man of the Match in the senior final replay.

Joyce was one of 13 Irishmen on an AFL list in 2024. Laois and Geelong star Zach Tuohy has retired while Brisbane’s James Madden is also out of contract now that the season has ended.

Meanwhile, Derry’s Eoin McEvoy and Dubliner David Colbert are both currently in Australia visiting clubs. They will test alongside Australian prospects at the AFL combine as well.

McEvoy was nominated for an All-Star in 2023 and has become a crucial part of Derry’s defence. Kilmacud Crokes clubman Colbert has represented Dublin at underage level and is a talented rugby player, having represented Ireland at U20 level.

A host of other Irish players have been linked with AFL clubs recently including Fermanagh’s Ultan Kelm, Kerry prospect Cillian Burke, Roscommon’s Daire Cregg and Tyrone U20 All-Ireland winner Eoin McElholm.