National Forum

Cathal McShane Going To The AFL?

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Replying To Kerry15:  "http://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/307061

Very surprised to hear this. He's 24 and you'd usually just be wondering are the young layers going to go at around 19 or 20. He'll be a huge loss to Tyrone. It'll be hard for him to take to a new game at 24 but I do think he is well suited to it, very strong, good in the air and mobile."
Clearly given an offer he couldn't refuse. At the top of his game both physically and performance wise and if it doesn't work out for him he'll probably have the option to come home within the year.

AFL looking at "older" GAA players now. Mayo's Matthew Ruane around the same age as McShane took part in trials recently and will apparently be invited over to Australia in April.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3347 - 02/01/2020 15:59:04    2256925

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Replying To Gaa_lover:  "Clearly given an offer he couldn't refuse. At the top of his game both physically and performance wise and if it doesn't work out for him he'll probably have the option to come home within the year.

AFL looking at "older" GAA players now. Mayo's Matthew Ruane around the same age as McShane took part in trials recently and will apparently be invited over to Australia in April."
Low risk and potentially high reward for the AFL clubs. They can put these lads playing in the VFL and if they find the odd gem then it's more than worth the relatively small investment.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 02/01/2020 17:26:45    2256941

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Replying To sam1884:  "One thing the GAA has is the pull of winning All Ireland's with your county. It's why you find most players who go aren't leaving a realistic chance to win Sam. It's nothing to do with one elite county in particular - Cavanagh turned down a similar offer at the same age. I wonder was the reason Tyrone were at the top at that time! I'm convinced the state of their own county forms a major part of a decision to go or not and you might find a few Dublin players go in the future but aren't going to leave their counties success at the minute."
True, though Cavanagh always had plans to start his own accountancy business and had got a 1st class accountancy degree in 05 (busy year!) and has since left his uncle's large practice to launch his own gig. But lots of fellas won't have things mapped out to that extent and will naturally jump at it

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 02/01/2020 17:31:42    2256943

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Replying To dahayeser:  "I know this sounds harsh but if he goes I have to hope it doesn't work out. If bring over a seasoned 24 year old star works out than it could be come open season on GAA stars. For me the good of the game I love is bigger than any one player. I'd wish the lad every success in life, just not in some thing that may open the a new dimension of talent cherry picking by the AFL and damage our game.

I hear the argument that it is only a handful of players annually but the counter argument is these are the blue chip players that decide the destination of the All Ireland. Mark O'Connor's absence may have cost Kerry and All Ireland this season. Tommy Walsh in 2011? Pearse Hanley may have got Mayo over the line once when they were so close. Setanta's loss could have cost Cork an All Ireland although with the strikes probably not. These are huge impacts.

Aside from the elite counties it is even tougher on a county trying to make the break through. Derry got hammered with 3 of the best young talents they had produced in years being swiped in Conor Glass, Anton Tohill and Callum Brown.

These guys are huge losses to the promotion of the games too. If they play a bit of soccer or rugby and chose one of those sports fine but there is something rotten about how the AFL let our volunteers do all the hard work and then swoop for the almost finished product."
Good point. Someone going to soccer etc they have to have independently learned the skills of that game. Whereas a good grounding in Gaelic football already equips you with most of the skills needed for AFL. Cathal has had roughly 20 years of weekly coaching by the GAA grassroots from when he was a nipper. No soccer club would poach a player from a rival team without paying handsomely for it, and it's a bit unfair that years of amateur GAA coaching - which has a quantifiable commercial value in the AFL - seemingly counts for zip. If it works out, you'd like to see the poached player's home club getting a few quid from the AFL.

Either way, we're screwed for 2020. Nippy forwards out because they don't fit the management template; M Donnelly out for an indefinite period; McShane gone. Adrenalin might get you past weaker teams; but against proper teams, quality, or the lack of it, always tells.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 02/01/2020 17:39:30    2256945

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Replying To sam1884:  "One thing the GAA has is the pull of winning All Ireland's with your county. It's why you find most players who go aren't leaving a realistic chance to win Sam. It's nothing to do with one elite county in particular - Cavanagh turned down a similar offer at the same age. I wonder was the reason Tyrone were at the top at that time! I'm convinced the state of their own county forms a major part of a decision to go or not and you might find a few Dublin players go in the future but aren't going to leave their counties success at the minute."
So how do you explain that Kerry is one of the hardest hit counties in all of this?

It's a complex matter and the rationale varies from individual to individual.

The notion that players going to the AFL will 'kill' the GAA is complete nonsense: the GAA, and Ireland generally, has been losing talented people for generations and the GAA has survived and will continue to survive.

Also, statistically, the GAA loses more players to deaths - ranging from suicide to SADs to car crashes - than it does to the AFL.

Finally, to suggest that the new mark will somehow increase the flow to the AFL is stretching things well beyond the limits of most crystal balls.....

Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 263 - 02/01/2020 17:58:27    2256948

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Replying To dahayeser:  "I know this sounds harsh but if he goes I have to hope it doesn't work out. If bring over a seasoned 24 year old star works out than it could be come open season on GAA stars. For me the good of the game I love is bigger than any one player. I'd wish the lad every success in life, just not in some thing that may open the a new dimension of talent cherry picking by the AFL and damage our game.

I hear the argument that it is only a handful of players annually but the counter argument is these are the blue chip players that decide the destination of the All Ireland. Mark O'Connor's absence may have cost Kerry and All Ireland this season. Tommy Walsh in 2011? Pearse Hanley may have got Mayo over the line once when they were so close. Setanta's loss could have cost Cork an All Ireland although with the strikes probably not. These are huge impacts.

Aside from the elite counties it is even tougher on a county trying to make the break through. Derry got hammered with 3 of the best young talents they had produced in years being swiped in Conor Glass, Anton Tohill and Callum Brown.

These guys are huge losses to the promotion of the games too. If they play a bit of soccer or rugby and chose one of those sports fine but there is something rotten about how the AFL let our volunteers do all the hard work and then swoop for the almost finished product."
What begrudgery. Wouldn't it be great if we could all use our hobbies to get full time employment. I'm sure if there was aussie rules in this country, he would have played it..just like all the lads who played soccer and rugby and then went to play those sports professionally. As for the volunteers..is it not the case that volunteers volunteer for the betterment of people, animals and/or places/communities. If any of them begrudge any player for going onto full time employment due to the work the volunteers contributed, then they prob shouldn't be volunteers as they must be doing it for personal glory. If i had been involved in the coaching,transport, managing of any player in GAA that went on to become a professional sportsperson, i'd be proud as punch that my volunteering made such a great contribution to the betterment of that person

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1680 - 02/01/2020 22:52:23    2257011

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This is a huge blow for Tyrone. It effectively takes 5/6 scores at least off of them in a competitive match. He was a match winner up front and other players fed off his scraps. They might go on now and struggle in 2020, also due to their management's propensity to play defensive hard-ball in tight, pressure situations, which won't really help them against most division one teams. It could spell disaster for 2020, I hope their squad (which is still of high quality) can consolidate themselves and have a positive season because for a talented and well conditioned side like that, to have a howler just because of one absence seems radically difficult and unfair on them. Other teams will fancy Tyrone now in any case and it is fascinating to see if they can stay afloat.

I said on the Meath thread lately that this move, in my view, is a very dark day for the GAA. Of course high profile senior players have left in the past, and most notably up and coming teenagers, but that's one thing. I, personally, wouldn't begrudge 18/20 year olds to jump ship and spend some time in Australia, if they're the right natural athletes that the AFL is looking for, then they should take their shot and never look back. If it doesn't work out they have 2/3 years at least of incredible experience, and a few bob to boot. If it does work out they have much more, the reality is what it is. They stand to earn and gain next to nothing here in most cases by playing GAA and deep down we all know that. However McShane is a top player, a top 5 player or top 10 player for a lot of people, including myself, and he's not a spring chicken at 24. he's playing in a top, top team who are always in the top 4 come the crunch. He plays for a serious Gaelic football team, surrounded by genuine athletes who can win, and want to win, one of a few who can realistically win the All Ireland with the right thinking and building, a good attitude and experienced management, and none of that is enough to keep the man from chasing the AFL pipe dream. There has been other high profile cases, but this one to me, especially given the last 5 championships, is a dark day. It points toward a high end player simply not seeing the point of playing GAA when weighing off his options and his offers. I'm no expert on the board room aspect of the GAA but surely they must take action at every level to preserve and nurture their athletes now in the wake of continued scouting? I don't blame the AFL, it's their right to view players and make offers etc, but the GAA is complicit in the process and grassroots members and followers stand idly by and direct their Paddy Irishman begrudgery toward the AFL, or often the player himself is also damning. There must be action taken and in my view, the professionalisation of the game and the financial and social compensation of players because this current situation makes us a laughing stock. That's my opinion, it's heavy and I don't hold back in trying to best put across my message. I'm not bashing the GAA, I love the organisation and the games and people involved, but one has to admit the upper echelon's heads are so far buried in the sand on so many issues, that it simply drives me off the wall.

Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 587 - 03/01/2020 08:52:19    2257033

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@Young_Gael, I won't quote your post due to its length, but this is a response to your points. I know you feel strongly about this, but I don't see what you can expect the GAA to do about this. This is a player who has been given an opportunity to play sport professionally. He's absolutely a top player and will be a huge loss to Tyrone.
However, how is this any different to a top GAA player being offered a contract at a soccer team in the UK?
You mention that he is with a very strong county who have ambitions of winning All-Irelands and still left. Let's not forget that over 30 years ago, Kevin Moran was a top GAA player actually winning All-Irelands and still left to play soccer in England. Was there any uproar about that?
What do you suggest the GAA do about this, out of interest?

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2040 - 03/01/2020 09:35:48    2257037

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Replying To Young_gael:  "This is a huge blow for Tyrone. It effectively takes 5/6 scores at least off of them in a competitive match. He was a match winner up front and other players fed off his scraps. They might go on now and struggle in 2020, also due to their management's propensity to play defensive hard-ball in tight, pressure situations, which won't really help them against most division one teams. It could spell disaster for 2020, I hope their squad (which is still of high quality) can consolidate themselves and have a positive season because for a talented and well conditioned side like that, to have a howler just because of one absence seems radically difficult and unfair on them. Other teams will fancy Tyrone now in any case and it is fascinating to see if they can stay afloat.

I said on the Meath thread lately that this move, in my view, is a very dark day for the GAA. Of course high profile senior players have left in the past, and most notably up and coming teenagers, but that's one thing. I, personally, wouldn't begrudge 18/20 year olds to jump ship and spend some time in Australia, if they're the right natural athletes that the AFL is looking for, then they should take their shot and never look back. If it doesn't work out they have 2/3 years at least of incredible experience, and a few bob to boot. If it does work out they have much more, the reality is what it is. They stand to earn and gain next to nothing here in most cases by playing GAA and deep down we all know that. However McShane is a top player, a top 5 player or top 10 player for a lot of people, including myself, and he's not a spring chicken at 24. he's playing in a top, top team who are always in the top 4 come the crunch. He plays for a serious Gaelic football team, surrounded by genuine athletes who can win, and want to win, one of a few who can realistically win the All Ireland with the right thinking and building, a good attitude and experienced management, and none of that is enough to keep the man from chasing the AFL pipe dream. There has been other high profile cases, but this one to me, especially given the last 5 championships, is a dark day. It points toward a high end player simply not seeing the point of playing GAA when weighing off his options and his offers. I'm no expert on the board room aspect of the GAA but surely they must take action at every level to preserve and nurture their athletes now in the wake of continued scouting? I don't blame the AFL, it's their right to view players and make offers etc, but the GAA is complicit in the process and grassroots members and followers stand idly by and direct their Paddy Irishman begrudgery toward the AFL, or often the player himself is also damning. There must be action taken and in my view, the professionalisation of the game and the financial and social compensation of players because this current situation makes us a laughing stock. That's my opinion, it's heavy and I don't hold back in trying to best put across my message. I'm not bashing the GAA, I love the organisation and the games and people involved, but one has to admit the upper echelon's heads are so far buried in the sand on so many issues, that it simply drives me off the wall."
This is a fair post. I don't see how the game can become professional however. If more and more players keep leaving, the GAA will find itself in an existential crisis.

Tyrone will struggle this year. No doubt about it.

OGarmaile (Tyrone) - Posts: 248 - 03/01/2020 10:11:49    2257047

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "@Young_Gael, I won't quote your post due to its length, but this is a response to your points. I know you feel strongly about this, but I don't see what you can expect the GAA to do about this. This is a player who has been given an opportunity to play sport professionally. He's absolutely a top player and will be a huge loss to Tyrone.
However, how is this any different to a top GAA player being offered a contract at a soccer team in the UK?
You mention that he is with a very strong county who have ambitions of winning All-Irelands and still left. Let's not forget that over 30 years ago, Kevin Moran was a top GAA player actually winning All-Irelands and still left to play soccer in England. Was there any uproar about that?
What do you suggest the GAA do about this, out of interest?"
The reference to Kevin Moran is a very good one.

Don't forget if Nash from Meath chose Leinster Rugby instead of AFL, there would have been no uproar then either. He chose the lifestyle in Aus and good luck to him. He is doing well over there.

Point is - we lose GAA players to Soccer, Rugby and AFL but the highlight is on AFL now because of the manner of their perceived poaching of top talent and the acceleration of players moving to the AFL.

I for one would stop the Compromise Rules series
And maybe some sort of compensation could be paid to the players local club for development or equipment etc.

The money on offer in AFL is huge.
The problem now is that the more players who are seen to go over, will now only increase the amount of other players who will become interested in joining them. A real snowball effect.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3732 - 03/01/2020 10:38:33    2257050

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They stopped the Compromise rules Ireland v Australia at U18, a few years. That doesn't put the Australians off m, as they organize training camps in Ireland. It's a huge opportunity for any player to turn down. More so if from a weaker county

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 03/01/2020 11:35:01    2257061

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Huge loss for Tyrone and the GAA in general. The way he caught the high ball reminded me of Jack O'Shea in his youth, strong, determined and skillful. Wish him well, but like others on here have said, hope this doesn't become the norm for our lads.

NorthKerryMan (USA) - Posts: 22 - 03/01/2020 11:36:50    2257062

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Losing players to soccer or rugby is very different. These sports are played at a grass roots level in every town and many villages in Ireland and we have relatively successful national teams in both sports, they form part of our national identity. Surely people can see the differentiation.

The AFL are scouting players that have probably played all of the above at one stage or another but chose GAA. They are then taking them just as they are emerging at the top level, and now seemingly they are happy to take older and more established players as well.

Several of us on here have been saying for years that recruitment was going to ramp up on the back of the success of Tuohy, Hanly, McKenna, O'Connor etc and we were told it's only a handful of players so it's not a problem. I for one think losing a player of the caliber of McShane from our sport is a very real problem for the GAA, and he won't be the last.

Following on from WantPintWin I don't think the GAA can do a thing about it really. They may be able to offer some scholarships and some form of pay for play eventually but they will never be able to compete with the riches available in the AFL. I think it's something we will just have to swallow unfortunately.

And I should add that I do not blame a single player that is leaving. If I was in that position I'd probably go myself. It's a great opportunity.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 03/01/2020 11:37:53    2257063

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I for one would stop the Compromise Rules series
And maybe some sort of compensation could be paid to the players local club for development or equipment etc.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 2854 - 03/01/2020 10:38:33 2257050


Compensation? Paid by who? The clubs and players are amateurs. The players do not have contracts with, and aren't employed by, the clubs.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2461 - 03/01/2020 13:56:57    2257087

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "@Young_Gael, I won't quote your post due to its length, but this is a response to your points. I know you feel strongly about this, but I don't see what you can expect the GAA to do about this. This is a player who has been given an opportunity to play sport professionally. He's absolutely a top player and will be a huge loss to Tyrone.
However, how is this any different to a top GAA player being offered a contract at a soccer team in the UK?
You mention that he is with a very strong county who have ambitions of winning All-Irelands and still left. Let's not forget that over 30 years ago, Kevin Moran was a top GAA player actually winning All-Irelands and still left to play soccer in England. Was there any uproar about that?
What do you suggest the GAA do about this, out of interest?"
No, because Kevin Moran to MU is not a relevant comparison.

The issue is not the loss to the club, but *the value of the GAA club's wasted effort to the AFL*. 2 completely different things.

As a young man, Moran played Gaelic football and soccer - and learned the skills for each sport at different clubs. He had great innate ability and competitive temperament and would probably have excelled at most sports he tried. But Man U did not primarily profit from Moran's Gaelic football skills training. They did however benefit directly from the soccer training that Moran's Irish soccer youth teams had instilled in him. There's no way that Man U would have taken a 20-something Gaelic or Rugby player who had never played soccer, no matter how successful he was in any other sport, had he not also had a grounding in soccer from a young age. The wasted effort in that case was e.g., Bohemians and Pegasus soccer clubs - not the local GAA club in Drimnagh. Of course, he was a big loss to his GAA club and to Dublin, but let's not confuse 'loss to the club' with 'wasted effort by the club'.

GAA ball-skills training isn't much value to soccer (core skills such as dribbling and heading largely don't exist in GAA and our greatest skill, high-fielding (of great interest to AFL), has to be deliberately un-learned for soccer); though positional awareness and conditioning will of course transfer to most team sports. By contrast, lots of Gaelic football skills training adapts pretty well to AFL. Unlike for pro soccer, with AFL, effectively the amateur GAA in Ireland has spent years training guys in skills which transfer very readily to the AFL game. Contractually / legally, of course the AFL in the clear, but a goodwill payment to the home-club would be smart PR and the decent thing to do (fat chance etc).

Also, the notion that the GAA is legally powerless is legally-un-informed pub-talk. Simple enough matter to sign even amateurs up to a simple playing contract. If you make any payments or payments in kind to a player, you already have 'consideration' sufficient to establish a binding contract. (The value of the consideration is legally irrelevant.) The contract of course would impose no restrictions whatsoever on GAA players, but would deal with bland stuff such as requiring the player to keep club matters confidential and not to attempt to use county logos or other IP in personal sponsorship deals with third parties etc. And it'd be very straightforward to have a release clause in any such contract. It couldn't be too exorbitant or it'd be vulnerable to being struck down as an unreasonable restriction on future employment; but in principle, it's perfectly feasible; and would give the player's home club a few bob. Like I said, nobody trains the wee ones every Friday evening for 20 years just to benefit the AFL.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 03/01/2020 14:59:48    2257105

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Replying To Aibrean:  "So how do you explain that Kerry is one of the hardest hit counties in all of this?

It's a complex matter and the rationale varies from individual to individual.

The notion that players going to the AFL will 'kill' the GAA is complete nonsense: the GAA, and Ireland generally, has been losing talented people for generations and the GAA has survived and will continue to survive.

Also, statistically, the GAA loses more players to deaths - ranging from suicide to SADs to car crashes - than it does to the AFL.

Finally, to suggest that the new mark will somehow increase the flow to the AFL is stretching things well beyond the limits of most crystal balls....."
Kerry have won one senior All Ireland in a decade and even that was unexpected and a bit of a steal with that year's semi final and goalkeeper error in the final. Kerry players were obviously right to jump last decade as they predicted correctly they wouldn't miss out on an All Ireland - confirms my point. Yes Kennelly left years ago but even he came back home to win an All Ireland. Kerry look in better shape at the minute which might explain why players who would obviously make it in the AFL are currently staying at home.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 03/01/2020 17:00:56    2257136

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Nobody trains the wee ones every Friday night for 20 years to begrudge them the chance of success either. If they do, they should not.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 03/01/2020 17:48:16    2257147

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "Losing players to soccer or rugby is very different. These sports are played at a grass roots level in every town and many villages in Ireland and we have relatively successful national teams in both sports, they form part of our national identity. Surely people can see the differentiation.

The AFL are scouting players that have probably played all of the above at one stage or another but chose GAA. They are then taking them just as they are emerging at the top level, and now seemingly they are happy to take older and more established players as well.

Several of us on here have been saying for years that recruitment was going to ramp up on the back of the success of Tuohy, Hanly, McKenna, O'Connor etc and we were told it's only a handful of players so it's not a problem. I for one think losing a player of the caliber of McShane from our sport is a very real problem for the GAA, and he won't be the last.

Following on from WantPintWin I don't think the GAA can do a thing about it really. They may be able to offer some scholarships and some form of pay for play eventually but they will never be able to compete with the riches available in the AFL. I think it's something we will just have to swallow unfortunately.

And I should add that I do not blame a single player that is leaving. If I was in that position I'd probably go myself. It's a great opportunity."
Perhaps we should see the whole thing as an opportunity. Instead of seeing the whole thing as a negative, it could be used as a marketing tool. Nobody dreams of growing up playing of AFL in Ireland (probably) but given the hegemony of the likes of Dublin and Kerry it is far more likely that a young lad from Laois will win an AFL grand final than an All Ireland final... Zach Touhy no doubt dreamt of an All Ireland with Laois. It didn't work out. There is a good chance he might win a grand title. For other young lads in Laois to aspire to be Zach Touhy, they will have to play Gaelic Football in Laois. This benefits Laois GAA clubs... But nobody wants to dare explore or entertain the slightest hint of something positive.. It is all poor mouth, poor me... Utter nonsense.. Nothing but begrudgery..

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 03/01/2020 17:57:16    2257148

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Replying To essmac:  "No, because Kevin Moran to MU is not a relevant comparison.

The issue is not the loss to the club, but *the value of the GAA club's wasted effort to the AFL*. 2 completely different things.

As a young man, Moran played Gaelic football and soccer - and learned the skills for each sport at different clubs. He had great innate ability and competitive temperament and would probably have excelled at most sports he tried. But Man U did not primarily profit from Moran's Gaelic football skills training. They did however benefit directly from the soccer training that Moran's Irish soccer youth teams had instilled in him. There's no way that Man U would have taken a 20-something Gaelic or Rugby player who had never played soccer, no matter how successful he was in any other sport, had he not also had a grounding in soccer from a young age. The wasted effort in that case was e.g., Bohemians and Pegasus soccer clubs - not the local GAA club in Drimnagh. Of course, he was a big loss to his GAA club and to Dublin, but let's not confuse 'loss to the club' with 'wasted effort by the club'.

GAA ball-skills training isn't much value to soccer (core skills such as dribbling and heading largely don't exist in GAA and our greatest skill, high-fielding (of great interest to AFL), has to be deliberately un-learned for soccer); though positional awareness and conditioning will of course transfer to most team sports. By contrast, lots of Gaelic football skills training adapts pretty well to AFL. Unlike for pro soccer, with AFL, effectively the amateur GAA in Ireland has spent years training guys in skills which transfer very readily to the AFL game. Contractually / legally, of course the AFL in the clear, but a goodwill payment to the home-club would be smart PR and the decent thing to do (fat chance etc).

Also, the notion that the GAA is legally powerless is legally-un-informed pub-talk. Simple enough matter to sign even amateurs up to a simple playing contract. If you make any payments or payments in kind to a player, you already have 'consideration' sufficient to establish a binding contract. (The value of the consideration is legally irrelevant.) The contract of course would impose no restrictions whatsoever on GAA players, but would deal with bland stuff such as requiring the player to keep club matters confidential and not to attempt to use county logos or other IP in personal sponsorship deals with third parties etc. And it'd be very straightforward to have a release clause in any such contract. It couldn't be too exorbitant or it'd be vulnerable to being struck down as an unreasonable restriction on future employment; but in principle, it's perfectly feasible; and would give the player's home club a few bob. Like I said, nobody trains the wee ones every Friday evening for 20 years just to benefit the AFL."
I think once you start going legal on matters, drafting up contracts, signing NDAs etc you begin to lose the whole sense of amateurism. Why would any amateur sports person sign any agreement unless there was some benefit, in cash, in kind, nepotism in return no matter how benign that agreement seems? Like I said elsewhere, it's the thin edge of the wedge. It's an amateur sport, professional sports will always be more attractive to gifted athletes. If they are capable then natural selection would suggest that that's where they should be anyway, fulfilling their potential. You can't hold them back. There are lads of 16, 17 deserting GAA for soccer and rugby. The opposite is true too. For amateur GAA coaches who've trained these fellas it's occupational hazard that simply comes with the trade. Compensation doesn't come into it.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 03/01/2020 18:04:19    2257153

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Is there actually any substance to this story. A guy writing a blog in Tyrone put this up on Wednesday. Because of the lack of sports news out there all the national media and social media outlets were all over it and a few ex Tyrone players threw in their tuppence worth
However there has been no comment from the player himself, from Mickey Harte, or from the county board.
All seems very odd.

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 04/01/2020 09:26:43    2257239

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