THE GREATER WESTERN Sydney Giants have signed up Derry U20 starlet Callum Brown on a rookie contract for the 2019 season.
The 18-year-old Limavady man was a core element of the Oak Leaf county’s side as they reached the All-Ireland U20 football semi-finals this summer and follows in the footsteps of Dublin’s James Madden, Derry’s Anton Tohill and Cork’s Mark Keane in making the move Down Under to the AFL.
Brown, who was also on the books with Linfield FC, made an impression during his two-week visit to Sydney in August and will begin training with the Giants on 19 November.
“It’s fantastic we were lucky enough to secure Callum,” said Giants head coach Leon Cameron.
“He’s a powerful athlete, great speed and his skill in the Gaelic game is outstanding. For the short period of time he was out here during our season this year you could clearly see he could pick up the use of the Australian Rules football.”
Cameron added that former Giants defence coach Nick Walsh, originally from Cavan, played a key role in developing a recruiting programme in Ireland. The move for Brown represents a first foray into the Irish talent pool for men’s team, though Cora Staunton and Donegal’s Yvonne Bonner are signed up for the Giants’ AFLW team.
“We understand that these things take time,” says Cameron, “we need to have patience, (as do) the supporters.
“He’s not going to be ready to play in round one, it just doesn’t work that way. But what we see and the athleticism this young guy has got, we’re really excited to put it to the test and see if he can transfer that Gaelic game into AFL footy.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
Jesus it’s starting to turn into an exodus! Having said that with the state of Gaelic football in Ireland and the extremely limited playing time for F. A. reward for weaker counties it’s no surprise
@jl: around 8 players spread over 32 counties is hardly an exodus and let’s not forget most return
This is a killer for Derry, Conor Glass, Tohill and now Browne. These are the kind of players you build an Ulster championship winning side around. While I wish the lads all the best in life as a GAA fan I would be delighted to see the them decide AFL is not for them after a few years of being trained up and end up being a loss making venture for their AFL club.
Lads picking soccer, rugby, hockey or what ever is grand, they get trained as kids by coaches from those sports but there is something that doesn’t sit right about cash rich aussie clubs swiping a a player that GAA volunteer coaches have given years of coaching.
I know people may say I’m daft, but is it time to have these guys sign a simple contract. So when this does happen the AFL have to compensate the club/county?? Or do they already get compensation?
@Anthony Corcoran: excellent question
@Anthony Corcoran: Why would anyone sign a contract that has zero benefit to them? Clubs and counties should be proud of their players that manage to make a career out of sport.
@Anthony Corcoran: hahahaha the players have to sign a contract??? So it’s not enough they work all day, train 3 times a week, their diet is a 24/7 thing so let’s not forget that, match day to contend with, pay their own membership costs and when the player eventually plays gets their performance judged by every hasbeen there so thats not enough and thats just bloody club level….increase it ten fold for county level. So what are the benefits to the player if they sign this contract? Please explain.
@Patrick McHugh: maybe have is a bit strong, and I did say some people would think I’m daft. The benefits are purely for a small club county who has in vested time and energy for the AFL to come in when they are 18 to hand pick the best players, thus making county’s weaker. So yeah maybe not a contract but the GAA needs to do something. The AFL employ our former players to go around and do all the camps.