O'Reilly delisted?

[mightytiges]

Even if O'Reilly comes back in 2013, are we able to put him automatically back on our rookie list as an international rookie or does he have to go through the draft?

[The Big Richo]

Troy O'Taylor.

pee him off.

[Penelope]

bit late on that one BR

[tdy]

soft homesick bastard

was great seeing the welsh put these breastfeeders to the sword last weekend

hope he comes back though

heslin can lip him for being a limpgot

This is about culture.  Development of players from different cultures has to take this into account.  Aborigines have their own specific cultural issues, clearly Irish do too, Marty Clarke went and is coming back, Tadhg Kennelly went and came back, O'Reilly is going but hopes to come back.  This is just something clubs are going to have to deal with, the pull to go home for a bit.  Clearly professional sport is not the be all and end all for an Irish kid. 

For us to have a good Irish development team we need to deal with this better than other teams,  How do we make pro AFL more attractive, maybe you send the kids home every year and train their off season in Ireland.  3 months at home every year, maybe you have to bring their baby brother out and get him a uni course.  Our brains trusts should be thinking of this, because Tadgh Kennelly didn't come back as good a player, I wonder if Marty Clarke will too.  These developing years are crucial and if we are not going to pee all our effort down the toilet we have to be realistic here.

[one-eyed]

O'Reilly targets Down spot
by Michelle Fortune , 14 October 2011


Jamie O'Reilly admits he struggled to adapt to the round ball on his return from Australia but the form AFL player is determined to break into the Down senior football panel.

O'Reilly spent two years with Melbourne club Richmond Tigers and was offered the chance to extend his stay, but he opted to return home to continue his studies and resume his Gaelic Football career.

He has already lined out for Loughinisland and is looking forward to representing Queens, but he admits he found it difficult to adjust to the different ball.

"To be honest it felt like the foreign sport. It is a different shape of ball to what I have been using this last two years and when you submerge yourself in a new game you are a bit rusty," he is quoted as saying in the Irish News.

"My hand-to-eye co-ordination wasn't what it should be and my foot skills weren't that great, but I just need to play."

O'Reilly is targeting a good run in the Sigerson Cup as a way back into the Down side for the forthcoming Allianz Football League and Ulster Championship.

"I'm hoping that Queen's have a good Sigerson and Ryan Cup and that training will obviously bring me along," he explained.

"I want to do as well as I can and then try to break into the Down Championship side - that's the plan anyway.

"Obviously James (McCartan) and Aidan (O'Rourke) come with very good credentials and are well respected in the football community do I'm looking forward to getting back and learning from them."

http://www.setanta.com/ien/Articles/2011/10/14/OReilly-targets-Down-spot/gnid-113240/

[Penelope]

"My hand-to-eye co-ordination wasn't what it should be and my foot skills weren't that great, but I just need to play."

interesting and surprising comment, particularly the hand eye co-ordination.