Are the AFL being fair to the Gaelic football association poaching all their young talent?

Question

continuing on from rogues irish question,are we being fair to the irish? i mean imagine loseing players like j.brown,judd,thomas,bartell,abblett,pavl...

kerr,franklin to an overseas code if the shoe was on the other foot,

we would all be ropable and deprived of seeing the best we have because somebody else could throw more money at them

i think clubs should be limited to the number of international players they can have on their lists,if this doesn't exist already

Answer 1

I see no problem with these guys coming over here Forky!

I don't think it's a matter of being fair, just trying to get some more talent!

Not that there isn't talent here, but it is nice to try other things, and who knows? they could bring some good ideas!

Answer 2

Forky, the shoe is already on the other foot.

Look at Saverio Rocca and Ben Graham playing as  punters in the good old U.S. of A.with the NFL.

Don't be surprised if many of the Aussie young blokes get lured to America where the players get huge sponsorships, contracts, and women chasing them all over town.

A punter in the U.S.A. has the potential to play well into their thirties.

Answer 3

I know what your point is and I agree.  Its easy to say 'thats life, and gotta go where the cash is' etc.  But if the shoe was on the other foot, Aussies would be outraged and it would be another never ending saga.

If we continue to poach their best players it might encourage the Irish to turn the sport professional and pay their players a lot more.

I dont think there is a limit on the number of Irish players allowed, though it might help the situation.

PS:  Jemima compared it to USA poaching AFL players to play in their NRL ... hmmmm, its only the old, retired players they have recruited.  I very much doubt that they will lure the young players!!

Answer 4

They can make a living over here playing AFL. Gaelic Football is only semi-professional i believe. So that is a problem the Irish need to sort out. If they want to keep their Irish talent they need to give the game a professional status.  Why should these kids with great sporting talent be expected to accept peanuts playing football while working some other job concurrently, when they could earn over $250K a year playing football in Australia. I think if the Irish want to keep their footballers, then they have to start rewarding them financially, otherwise they ought to be entitled to go somewhere where their talents will be rewarded...

Answer 5

Thats life buddy!!!

Your gonna go where the money is.

Fair or not...at the end of the day it's up to the individual what they want for themselves not others.

As for the clubs...if they can afford to do what they are doing ,good on them.Just hope they were worth it.

Answer 6

Its a bit the same as blokes from WA & SA playing in the VFL back in the 70s & 80s. Victoria had created the biggest & best league, so they attracted the best players. I think the Irish boys would jump at the chance to play in the big league, and earn some serious bucks too.

A bit unfair yes, but thats life.

Answer 7

Fair game i think

Answer 8

Several good answers above (Claireco, Ronald McReagen, jemima, Richo Fev). The boys are going to where the money is. Saverio Rocca (Philadelphia), Ben Graham (N.Y. Jets), Mat McBriar (Dallas) and Darren Bennett (former San Diego, Minnesota) are all millionaires in America because of the thunder foot they own. The Gaelic Association is amateur footy, so I don't see any current AFL player going to Ireland.

The owner of Sav's Philadelphia club (Jeffrey Lurie) said he thinks many Australians will be in the NFL in the future years. After 200 plus games in the AFL, and the body can't play footy anymore, more AFL big kicks will come to America and kick until they reach their mid 40's.

Some of the homegrown USA punters (the position played, not anything with bets) have learned the drop punt from Graham because of the way Benny, McBriar and Sav place the ball on a spot on the ground and it stops, doesn't bounce around and through the end zone always for a touchback.

Spiral or torpedo is for distance and aerodynamics, whereas the drop punt seems to work best for accuracy and it is more difficult to catch (mark) for the return man. Some punt returners have problems handling the drop punt compared to the torp or spiral ball.

Sorry to get off the subject a bit, but I think many more former AFL stars will be in America over the next five years.

Answer 9

Have you seen how the Irish play Rugby.  "Fair" is not an issue mate :-)

Do these guys go back and play their season?  I guess not given off-season commitments.

I suppose the answer is for the Irish to breed more.  Pure and simple and I just heard a roar of approval from the front bar of the Dog and Stick in Killarney!

Answer 10

guys have to earn a living. no Aussie Rules star would ever go to GAA as there's no pay. The guys are strictly amateur. Fair do's to the aussies for snapping up good young talent.