A grand final win in the Australian Football League (AFL) is no longer an exclusive feat for Irish players, as Mark O’Connor and Zach Tuohy secured a championship with Geelong last season. Tuohy even went on to break the long-standing appearance record of Jim Stynes, another Irish player in the sport. Additionally, three Irish players, Tuohy, O’Connor, and Oisín Mullin, from Mayo, played together for the first time. The history of Irish players in the AFL has had its ups and downs, but currently it is on an upswing.
Last week, it was announced that three more promising Irish talents will be heading Down Under, bringing the total number of Irish exports to 69 since Seán Wight became the first to make the journey 40 years ago. Liam O’Connell from Cork will join St. Kilda, while Rob Monahan from Kerry and Matt Duffy from Longford have signed with Carlton.
When the opportunity arose, Duffy didn’t hesitate to sign a two-year deal. He had been following the AFL for the past year and was familiar with the league and the game. When the club interviewed him, they wanted to ensure his commitment and passion for the sport before bringing him to the other side of the world. For Duffy, there was never any doubt about pursuing this opportunity.
Signing the contract was the result of more than a year of courtship. Duffy was invited to training sessions to showcase his skills, and videos of his performance were sent back to Australian clubs for evaluation. Over the past two weeks, club representatives flew to Ireland to assess hopefuls, including a 2km time trial. Duffy proved his athleticism by winning that race in six minutes and 24 seconds. Carlton was impressed and described him as a “running machine” when announcing his signing.
Consulting with experienced Irish AFL players like Mickey Quinn and Ciarán Byrne, Duffy prepared himself for the challenges ahead. He will spend a week in Australia later this month before officially starting his contract in November. While many details still need to be sorted out, including his living arrangements and education plans, Duffy is focused on savoring the achievement of securing an AFL contract.
Regardless of the excitement surrounding his upcoming adventure, Duffy remains focused on his upcoming Gaelic football pursuits. He understands the daunting task of making the transition from amateur Gaelic football to professional Aussie rules football. Many Irish players who venture across don’t end up playing a senior AFL game, and Duffy acknowledges the difficulty of the journey. However, he also recognizes the significant opportunity to play professional sport and views it as something he couldn’t pass up.
Duffy is fully aware that making it in the AFL is a rare accomplishment and vows to appreciate every moment if he achieves that level of success. He views this experience as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and is eager to embark on the journey of playing professional sport.
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