Hurley and Flynn off to Australia.

best of luck to him over there. hope he makes it. fealy, cribbin and flynn all off that u21/minor team from the last few years.

Best of luck to Dan. Couldn't blame any young fella for the taking the chance to play a professional sport.

last out turn off the lights

Best of luck Dan, Its a huge opportunity for him. I hope all goes well, but like others have said I hope we see you after the two years back in a Kildare shirt. Enjoy it!!

Lucky of the Irish, Power signs Flynn

THE Port Adelaide Football Club has signed its first international rookie with Irish-born Daniel Flynn agreeing to join the Power until the end of 2015.

The 20-year-old from Kildare in Ireland spent time at the club’s Alberton headquarters earlier this week prior to joining fellow draft hopefuls at the annual NAB AFL Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium. Flynn has a background as an elite underage Gaelic footballer and will be mentored by countryman and former Sydney Swans champion Tadhg Kennelly during his time with the Power.

The club has made a two-year commitment to Flynn with plans to develop him into a small to medium defender. Flynn says he enjoyed his time at Port Adelaide during the week and elected to join the Power over offers from other rival clubs.

“I really liked my time when I was over there, it’s a relaxed city and the atmosphere around the club was great - I can’t wait to make the journey over,” says Flynn. “I’ve been following the game a bit back home and know of a few trailblazers like Tahdg, Jim Stynes and Caolan Mooney who has been a rookie with Collingwood for a couple of years.

“The skills are similar to Gaelic – we kick, handball and mark as well, the tackling is a bit different, but I’ll learn that as time goes on. “I’ll probably spend the first 12 months developing my Aussie Rules skills in the SANFL and hopefully be groomed into an AFL footballer from there.”

Port Adelaide’s general manager - football Peter Rohde said the new frontier of international recruiting is an area the club is keen to embrace.

“This is a new era for Port Adelaide and we see Daniel’s signing as part of our evolution into globally-oriented sports organisation,” said Rohde. “We’re constantly looking at breaking into new talent areas and we’ve liked what we’ve seen with Daniel so far.

“We’ve got realistic expectations though and will work with him for the first year to develop his skills at SANFL level.”

An Irishman and his 'exploding footy'

AFL.com.au's Callum Twomey wront this great yarn a day before the Power signed Irishman Daniel Flynn

DANIEL Flynn was due for a new footy anyway. After deciding earlier this year he would pursue an AFL career, the Irishman had taken his Sherrin everywhere.

He has practiced his kicking over and over on both feet, has run with the ball, learned how to bounce it proficiently, and done everything with a minimum of fuss. He has grown accustomed to having the oval ball at his side. But Flynn and his ball were separated last week, when he was en route to Melbourne for this week's NAB AFL Draft Combine. "I was playing around with the ball, got through airport security and didn't think there would be a problem," Flynn told AFL.com.au.

"I got on the plane and was bouncing the ball up and down on the seat and an air hostess come over and said 'Sorry sir, we're going to have to take that'. "I was laughing and said 'Why?' And she said 'If we don't take it the ball will explode'. I started laughing more and then she took it off me.

"It was just something to do on the plane, and use the time to get used to the ball. It was fairly worn by this stage anyway. It's in Dublin Airport now, so I'll probably never see it again." The unfortunate incident of the ‘footy-grenade’ has been the only hiccup in Flynn's progression as he pushes to become the next international player recruited by an AFL club.

After arriving in Melbourne, he went for "a kick and a catch" with the Western Bulldogs, before meeting other clubs, including being flown to Alberton Oval by Port Adelaide on Sunday. "I had a look around Adelaide and met a couple of the boys," said Flynn, who turned 20 last week. "It's a lot calmer than Melbourne. It's a bit more laid-back. I enjoy it."

A young star of the All-Ireland Championships for his county Kildare, near Dublin, a few different factors were involved in Flynn's decision to try his hand at a new sport. He tested well and impressed Tadhg Kennelly at an International Combine in April in Dublin, and realised then it was what he wanted to do, despite making some sacrifices.

"You're giving up things but you're getting stuff as well," he said. Flynn understands he's different to almost everyone he's testing alongside this week at Etihad Stadium, but is using the point of difference the right way.

He's asking questions of some of the players, and trying to take note of what they do well, and how he can do the same things. Kennelly has given him a few tips. From the technical side of things, the former Swan has reminded Flynn to keep his head over the ball when he's kicking and to follow through with his leg.

And in interviews with clubs, Kennelly has advised him of one thing the athletic and speedy medium defender won't be doing on an AFL ground. "I've told him to try to slow down [when he talks]. It's a thick accent and it's very quick as well," Kennelly said.

"Daniel's pretty intelligent. He thinks about his footy and his life. He's a very funny kid, if you can understand him. "He ticks all the boxes, and is really competitive. I'm very confident he'll get taken and so he should, he's up there with any of the boys who have come through with the same level of exposure."

Best of luck to him, obviously a very talented player who we'll miss but you'd be mad not to take the opportunity when you get it. Kennelly rates him highly anyways and the club must have been pretty impressed by him too to take him on as their first international rookie.

If he comes back to Kildare a better player in two years time then great, if he makes a career of it over then fair play to him.

Don't know about ye guys on here, but i'm sick of kennelly spreading the aussie rules gospel over here and poaching our most talented footballers, and before anyone jumps down my throat telling me its a great chance for these players which I know......it still sticks in my graw that kennelly just waltzes in here and cherry picks our elite and there's not word about it from the GPA or the SUITS in Croke Park and still we persist in playing the shambles of comprise rules game with the aussies and encourage them over here to sell there product to our star struck youngsters.....

overthebar wrote:

Don't know about ye guys on here, but i'm sick of kennelly spreading the aussie rules gospel over here and poaching our most talented footballers, and before anyone jumps down my throat telling me its a great chance for these players which I know......it still sticks in my graw that kennelly just waltzes in here and cherry picks our elite and there's not word about it from the GPA or the SUITS in Croke Park and still we persist in playing the shambles of comprise rules game with the aussies and encourage them over here to sell there product to our star struck youngsters.....

Speaking of the compromise rules are there any Kildare lads involved in the training panel this year?

Even without Kennelly and the Compromise Rules the AFL clubs would still target Irish youngsters given the similarity of the games, the fact that they don't have to deal with any existing contracts and the rules in AFL that encourage them to pick international rookies.

What can the GAA or GPA do a about it unless they start paying the players?

Ogie wrote:

Jesus I'm glad I read that article, because after all I had read here I thought that Julie Davis was useless at strength and conditioning and had single-handedly ruined the football team by making them slow and ponderous!!!

Delighted for Daniel, he's a really good lad. Heard a radio interview with an Aussie radio station this morning. They're going to have some craic with the accent. Tadhg Kennelly has already told him to slow down. It was funny, he was ending his sentences on a high note like the Aussies do!

Ogie dont be fooled by the comments is all i'll say. I can tell you one thing that came out of the original meeting with the panel a month back was that 90% of the panel wanted a change in s & c coach. I'm basing this on what the lads on my club team have told me and we have a large number on the panel.

Best of luck to Dan and I think Hurley will be following suit very soon.

overthebar wrote:

Don't know about ye guys on here, but i'm sick of kennelly spreading the aussie rules gospel over here and poaching our most talented footballers, and before anyone jumps down my throat telling me its a great chance for these players which I know......it still sticks in my graw that kennelly just waltzes in here and cherry picks our elite and there's not word about it from the GPA or the SUITS in Croke Park and still we persist in playing the shambles of comprise rules game with the aussies and encourage them over here to sell there product to our star struck youngsters.....

What right has any suit in the GPA or Croke Park to tell any young fella what he can and can't be doing? These lads are going to have a go at a full time professional sport. The GAA isn't even part time.

I agree that we should get shut of the compromise rules though. For years they've tried to ditch the Railway Cup but the fact that players want to keep it means it has been kept going. Couldn't they put all the marketing and effort that goes into compromise rules into the Railway Cup instead, play it this time of year with the final in Croke Park and put some sort of effort into it. I'd rather see the best players in the country play football rather than that auld rugby hybrid.

They have no right to tell any young lad what to do Cilldara_2000.....But they could do alot more in securing a college position, a job or scholarship or whatever it takes to keep these lads playing our great game with club and county. IMO it is a slap in the face for all the club coaches who have put in many hours working hard with these players over the years promoting the GAA in their club and county, but then again the people in the suits from croke park treat the grass roots of the GAA with contempt and are only interested in feathering their own nest......

overthebar wrote:

They have no right to tell any young lad what to do Cilldara_2000.....But they could do alot more in securing a college position, a job or scholarship or whatever it takes to keep these lads playing our great game with club and county. IMO it is a slap in the face for all the club coaches who have put in many hours working hard with these players over the years promoting the GAA in their club and county, but then again the people in the suits from croke park treat the grass roots of the GAA with contempt and are only interested in feathering their own nest......

I don't know if having a college position or a day job would deter a young lad from going to oz to pursue a professional sporting career...

Exactly, flynn was in college if im not mistaken and im sure he received a scholarship to do so. With the time and committment young lads these days put into their football how in the name of god would they turn down a chance to get paid to train/play no matter what the GAA/GPA can do about it.

Young lads going over to Oz now all receive education through their clubs anyway. Similarly, if a player returns after a couple of years they all have clauses in their contracts which sees them receive funding from their clubs towards education here.

And if anything it is a compliment to the coaching structures of clubs especially JTB that they can produce players of this calibre. If anything they should be supporting the young lad and wishing him well.

And if he never comes back, good luck to him. Jesus H Christ, is all I can say....

We lost one Flynn don't be surprised if we lose another in the shape of the younger Luke. Lad is only 17, going to be immense.

GPA my hole.

Officials, medics, coaches, managers, Croke park executives, gate men, programme sellers, grounds men, score board keepers and referees are all getting paid. Players are the only ones not bein paid yet their the ones doing the most work.

The GPA are as useless as tits on a nun. Croker top brass are struggling since Mulvihil retired.
The recent disgrace with McGeeney has highlighted the disconnect between club and county. Most have no clue what's involved.

Good luck to any young guy who can earn a contract. To hell with any flute in a suit who begrudges them. Hopefully Tadgh keeps giving these young guys the oppertunities

Latest on Hurley,
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-15/dockers-eye-irish-tall

Feck..Looks like were gonna lose another One.. Go and rape some other County Tadgh.

I have said it before, i tread to hear that sort of news even though it is a great oppurtunity for these young players.......that Kennelly should be told where to go.....

I think in the long run this could work out well for Kildare, statistically both are likely to return in a couple of years and should return better athletes and footballers.

And in the short term have we got a viable midfield partnership for next year? Dont need to remind anyone how injury prone Daryl is over the last few years. I hope Jason has seen some prospects in the last few weeks.

Fucking hell were gonna have no young players at this rate, or midfield...

As said above, chances are they'll be back and improve us. If we think we are bad, poor old Down in recent years make us look fortunate. As for midfield next year, how bad does it have to get for a man with the catching, hands, height, physicality and pace of Tomás O'Connor to get his chance. If people criticised him for his decision making inside, at least in midfield, he just has to play his natural game and either take off or lay it off.

All good and well saying they 'May' come back to Kildare in a couple of years what about Kildare next year??? are they not a loss to kildare next year?? these lads were part of the group that was blooded last year in the hope to be involved with the KILDARE senior team not the AFL.!!

In fairness whiteknight I don't think you can begrudge any lad for taking the opportunity of playing professional sport, yes they are massive losses to Kildare but we just have to hope others step up and seize the opportunity, who knows if Chalky had of been available last year neither of the lads might have played midfield for Kildare in last years championship.

Delighted for them, hope it works out but what an experience regardless. Needless to say, they are very excited.