Norwood’s Andrew Kirwan to take next season off to travel

TRIPLE premiership player Andrew Kirwan has left Norwood – but is vowing to return in 2016.

10/08/14 - SANFL: Norwood versus West Adelaide at The Parade. Norwood's Andrew Kirwan shrugs a tackle from West's Ryan Anderson. Picture Dean Martin.

TRIPLE premiership player Andrew Kirwan has left Norwood – but is vowing to return in 2016.

Kirwan, 24, last week told the club he planned to spend next season travelling overseas.

Redlegs football manager Mark Ross said the club was disappointed to lose the half-back flanker but was “100 per cent positive” he would be back.

“He was pretty close to just playing and then going off for a month or two,” Ross said.

“But he just said it’s just not right for our culture to take off in the middle then come back, he’d rather take the entire year off.

“He’s been good for us, is a good, young lad and he just wants to do a few things before he settles down in life.”

Kirwan, who has played 50 league games, won Norwood’s best team man award and finished 10th in its best and fairest at its club champion count this month.

He has played in each of the Redlegs’ premiership teams the past three seasons.

“We’re pretty confident that, as much as we’ll miss him, we will be able to find someone to take up the slack,” Ross said.

Norwood’s Andrew Kirwan in action last season. Picture Dean Martin