All I'm saying is that the Gaa should be taking advantage of the fact that the Aussies are very keen on Gaelic footballers playing their sport. They should use whatever clout they have to benefit from this. If they don't succeed well and good but trying to make a case that they shouldn't because one is amateur and the other isn't or that they are different organisations is irrelevant.
Again that's grand. Irrelevant is certainly not a word I would use. I think its very much relevant.
If I remember there was talks between the AfL and the GAA to prevent tapping youngsters and maybe set roster limits but what actual leverage do the GAA have?
They may want to keep a good relationship with the AFL and avoid bad press when some young fella heads over and it doesn't work out and he goes on the media talking about loneliness and how he had no support.
Do you really think the GAA don't already use the kind of influence you're describing on players?
They were sniffing around Clifford a few years ago but he's still here.
Plenty of stories knocking around about handy jobs or sorting accommodation or whatever .
But ultimately what can the GAA do other than ask nicely and make it hard for Tadgh Keneally or whoever to hold a combine.
The AfL would argue that the development a player gets only starts when they arrive they go on rookie contracts to regional teams and the S&C boys get to work. When Marty Clarke or Mark Keane come back should the down or Cork County boards compensate them for all the development work they've done?
Even if you make a deal with the AFL some latter day Ricky Nixon character can just book UL for a day, hold a combine and offer players spots in semi pro regional sides in Oz from where the AFL clubs can have their pick.
And if the GAA really want to stop a player from going. If they pay his rent under the table and sort him with job driving the Guinness van and he still wants to go what can they actually do?
