AFL dream on for Meredith
By Catherine Murphy
Herald, Ireland
Saturday November 15 2008
LAOIS footballer Conor Meredith is embracing a second chance to get signed up by an AFL club with trials for Richmond Tigers this week and North Melbourne next week.
The promising teenager was on the cusp of signing for the Brisbane Lions not so long ago, but a change in coach at the club meant the deal fell through.
"I got a phone call from them a few months ago saying ,'We want to sign you up, we want to give you a contract'," Meredith said.
"They said that they'd be in contact and then at that camp (Ricky Nixon's) they arrived and said that they'd ring in a few days.
"I thought that it was going to be good news but they never rang. So I emailed to ask what was going on and whether I should enroll in college. They said they'd get back to me but they never did ... so when this came along I really grabbed the opportunity."
Meredith has spent a gruelling week at Tigerland doing full pre- season training with the senior group along with Antrim's Niall McKeever, who's also on trial after impressing at football agent Nixon's August scouting camp.
While Meredith will trial with North Melbourne next week, McKeever will try his luck with St Kilda, the club which also hosts Kerry's young player of the year, Tommy Walsh. So far he's been impressed with the Tigers' set up.
"Richmond's been great so far, everyone has been so friendly and the coaches have been great, so that's a big bonus," McKeever said.
"If Richmond were to offer me a contract right now it would be so hard to turn down. It's something you dream of from when you're young. To do something you love every day of your life would be pretty unbelievable."
While the Australian experience has been positive so far, Meredith admitted that the reaction from people back home in Laois hasn't all been upbeat.
"You get a few begrudgers who think, 'What are you doing leaving the club and county?' They say it behind your back though. I don't listen to any of that anyway. But most people are positive. My brothers would love to be out here doing what I'm doing so they've really encouraged me and all my friends have really encouraged me to do it as well," he said.
It's been a testing week for the pair, who were forced to train in temperatures soaring to 35 degrees on Wednesday. The club, which will most likely sign only one of the Irish men according to general football manager Craig Cameron, has certainly been putting them through their paces.
"It was brutal. We were doing lots of sprints but we didn't do too bad. I think the coaches were impressed with the way we were able to keep up to the other players' pace a bit. We were like snow men going out there. I got burnt on my arms and neck so I certainly felt it the next morning," said Meredith.
McKeever had less issues with sunburn but more problems communicating with Australian players.
"Nobody here understands my accent. They seem to understand Conor better than me for some reason," he laughed.
There wasn't much of a settling in period. Since the duo arrived last Sunday it's been non-stop training.
"We trained Monday morning at nine o'clock so we didn't get much of a chance to ease ourselves into it. But it's probably for the best because you get a better feel for it. It's completely different to home. We're in bed now at nine and fast asleep. If you were at home you'd only be going to bed at 11 or 12 but we're so wrecked that you just have to get your sleep," said Meredith.
McKeever added that he believed the pair would be better for the experience, despite the intensity of training.
He said: "We've really been thrown in the deep end. I suppose it's a good thing though, because we know what a full week as an AFL player is going to be like."
http://www.herald.ie/sport/gaelic-football/afl-dream-on-for-meredith-1541020.html
