The Irish journey

[saintbrat]

Ray and Darragh are on their way
Will be here for training in Early Nov

[Impatient Sainter]

Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat!

Great news and good luck to the boys.

[citywest]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

[magnifisaint]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Just like NZ hey?

[cwrcyn]

The irish boys have about the same success rate as other rookie selections, i would guess

[the dome]

I can recall back in the Plugger/Harvey/Loewe era an Irish player called Dermot McNicholl getting a run with the Saints @ Moorabbin. Only registered a couple of games but better was to follow. Next arrivals were Jim Stynes (Brownlow Medalist 1991) & Sean Wight who were both valuable players for Melbourne. Since then the most obvious Irish success story was Tadgh Kennelly who managed a premiership medal with the Swans (2005). Stynes & Kennelly made it to around the 200 game mark. Then came Setanta O hAilpin 88 games (Carlton), Colm Begley 30 games (Brisbane), Martin Clarke 73 games (Collingwood) & currently Pearce Hanley 107 games (Brisbane) with Zach Tuohy 98 games (Carlton).
So there are some benefits to be had if we can do better in the lucky dip. Having said that I think Barassi had a bit to do with spotting and luring Jim Stynes to Melbourne back in the 1990s. Spotting the right player seems to come down to the recruiting ability of each club.
The way I look @ it is that our club has been one of quite a few that have been looking towards the Irish players for a fair few years now. I'd hate for us to miss a good player and have that player end up at the Swans, Melbourne or Collingwood instead of us.
Of coarse we currently have J.Holmes the American recruit showing promising signs and I for one have been quite hopeful regarding his ability to make a successful transition to AFL.
I wouldn't stop looking just yet.

[kosifantutti]

You don't have to be Irish to get on our rookie list but it certainly helps:

Retained Rookies: Ray Connellan, Nicholas Coughlan, Darragh Joyce, Nicholas O’Kearney

That list came from fox footy. It's not right of course because only one of Connellan and Joyce should be on there but it made me laugh.

Kosimctutti

[citywest]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Just like NZ hey?

Idiotic reply.

[desertsaint]

I think the attraction is purely the false belief they are almost ready made afl players due to gaelic.
personally I would be looking at other countries before Ireland. African obviously, but not so much America as their supreme sportsmen are engaged in more lucrative paths and we would only attract older sportsmen that have given up on their nbl/nfl dream. The best prospects outside the footy states remain potential rugby stars, that we can lure over whilst still young - hence Sydney and GWS have a big advantage with their academies.

[magnifisaint]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Just like NZ hey?

Idiotic reply.

You must be a Carltoon supporter
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=91930&start=25
You've really given the game up.

[saintbrat]

Darragh and ray were not at the back of the pack when the 3 km was run

[magnifisaint]

who's the little guy in the middle?

[Junior]

who's the little guy in the middle?

Luke Verma from Sandy

[saintbrat]

and despite reports to the contrary- that seems to be Lewis pierce in the background- when it was reported he only ran laps

[saynta]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Well, you have a fair bit in common with them.

[White Winmar]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Well, you have a fair bit in common with them.

[magnifisaint]

I think this whole Irish thing is a waste of money, resources and time unfortunately.

Well, you have a fair bit in common with them.

[saintbrat]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2016-11-1 ... ootballer-\

Heading into his first pre-season and life as an AFL footballer, Connellan has taken on extra training to fast track the transition to the famous Sherrin.

“Darragh and myself, we always do some extra work just before and after training, mostly low level hands stuff just to try and get used to the ground balls,” Connellan said.

“Back home our ball has a predictable bounce, but over here it can go anywhere so we just kind of get used to little things like that and then some body work around the stoppage, how to position yourself.

“Things we don’t have in our game back home so we’re doing more extras in that senses whereas the other boys who have been playing football all their lives don’t have to do so much.”

Essentially arriving to the sport as a blank canvas from a skills perspective, both Connellan and fellow Irish recruit Darragh Joyce don’t have the bad habits some AFL footballer leaen at a young age.

Having promptly picked up the mechanics behind kicking, it’s talk of structures and work around stoppages that is taking longer for Connellan to adjust.

“There is an awful lot of structures around stoppages and things that we don’t have back home, so getting the head around that is a little bit tricky,

http://www.saints.com.au/video/2016-11- ... -preseason