Kevin Sheedy lauds AFL Irish experiment, says California is next frontier
Converting Gaelic footballers into AFL stars is mission accomplished for legendary coach Kevin Sheedy. Now he’s in the USA chasing footy’s next frontier.
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The Jim Stynes statue outside the MCG is all the motivation Gaelic footballers need to chase the AFL dream, legendary AFL coach Kevin Sheedy says.
The fruits of the Irish experiment, which started in the late 1960s by Australian Rules umpire-turned-media pioneer, the late Harry Beitzel, is being felt now with 17 Irishman listed at 11 AFL clubs.
A further 20 female Gaelic footballers have also made the move to Australia, with 10 going on to debut at AFLW clubs since 2017.
“I think the Irish experience is fantastic but it should be, we've spent 40 years on it (since) Harry Beitzel took us there,” Sheedy said.
“Now we're getting a reward, 40 years later. The problem is we also should’ve come to America, California 40 years ago (as well), we’d get huge rewards.”
Melbourne broke the mould in 1982, signing Sean Wight, Paul Earley and Jim Stynes in successive years.
Earley debuted a year later but returned to Ireland after one senior game, while Wight and Stynes combined for 414 matches.
Stynes, who won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship with Dublin before joining Melbourne, won the 1991 Brownlow Medal, broke the record for most consecutive games (244) and entered the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Stynes forged a path for the likes of Tadgh Kennelly (Sydney), Martin Clarke (Collingwood), Pearce Hanley (Brisbane and Gold Coast) and Zach Tuohy (Carlton and Geelong) to carve out successful AFL careers after taking a punt on Aussie Rules.
“That’s one of the most exciting and great stories in our sporting history, of any sport,” Sheedy said.
“Go and see the Jim Stynes statue outside the MCG, he left home in Dublin at 16 and became a legend in AFL and he deserves his statue outside the MCG.
“That’s inspired a lot of Irish kids to follow the way.”
Sheedy, one of the greatest-ever salesman for Aussie Rules, is in Los Angeles on an AFL scouting and coach mentoring mission, as well as to represent the league at the G’Day USA annual gala.
“I think the Irish have been fantastic for our game, seeing as I’m Irish background, but there’s 40 million people in California and there’s five million Irish people, I’m sick of waiting,” Sheedy said.
“I’m happy with the Irish, I just want Californians to fall in love with our game.”
Collingwood rookies Anton Tohill, part of a three-strong Irish contingent at the Pies that also includes Mark Keane and Sarah Rowe, welcomed the recent influx of gifted athletes.
“There’s been a few come out a lot recently … (a lot of clubs) see the success of a lot of Irish players coming out and they want to try and tap into themselves,” Tohill said.
“It just shows what the Irish can do and I think we’ll show them again come the International Rules Series (in November).”
Not one to baulk from expansion and trying to attract and convert new talent to Aussie Rules,
Sheedy is bullish the globalisation of the code will continue.
“We just had a bloody Texan kick Richmond out of the Grand Final two years ago, called Mason,” Sheedy said.
“Talent from anywhere in the world can pick up another sport, don’t even think they can’t.
“Just imagine when we were great at tennis as a nation, how many players were coming out of Europe that couldn’t put a racquet in their hand.
“Have a look at them now, the men and women playing tennis around the world, it’s magnificent.”
THE AFL’S BEST IRISH PLAYERS
1. Jim Stynes (Mel)
Position: Ruckman
Career: 1987-98
Games: 264
Goals: 130
Honours: Australian Football Hall of Fame, 1991 Brownlow Medal, 4x club champion, 2x All-Australian
2. Tadgh Kennelly (Syd)
Position: Defender
Career: 2001-11
Games: 197
Goals: 30
Honours: 2005 premiership
3. Zach Tuohy (Carl/Geel)
Position: Defender
Career: 2011-
Games: 186
Goals: 3
4. Sean Wight (Mel)
Position: Defender
Career: 1985-95
Games: 150
Goals: 63
5. Pearce Hanley (Bris/GC)
Position: Defender
Career: 2008-
Games: 161
Goals: 60
Originally published as Kevin Sheedy lauds AFL Irish experiment, says California is next frontier