World Footy News

The AFL Europe has published results from the AFL Combine held in Dublin on February 12th and 13th, with a twenty-four young GAA players from across Ireland and the UK demonstrating their athletic prowess and hoping to garner interest from the professionals Down Under. The best players from the trials will be invited to the 2013 AFL Draft Combine, which will be held in October in Melbourne.

The Combine has created some media interest in Ireland, ranging from a report on a favourite local son in Ger Leech scouted at AFL European Combine, a report from high-profile Irish code-hopper Tadhg Kennelly in Kennelly Runs Rules over AFL Prospects and a bit of opposition to the perceived drain of young talent from Ireland to the AFL in Dubs Doctor: Aussie Rules recruiters trying to drag our Young Children over to That Country.

Read full story to see results for the top three performers in each trial, courtesy of AFL Europe.

AFL Combine candidates: Cormac Costello, Gavin Burke, Shane Carthy, Eric Lowndes, Niall Scully (all Dublin); Paddy Brophy, Daniel Flynn (both Kildare), Damien Cahalane (Cork); Bill Maher, Philip Quirke, Steven O'Brien (all Tipperary); James Laverty (Antrim); Conor Carville, Niall Grimley (both Derry); Shane Walsh (Galway); Ronan Daly (Roscommon); Che Cullen, Lee Cullen (both Fermanagh); Adam Gallagher (Mayo); Ethan Rafferty (Armagh); Hugh McFadden (Donegal); Padraig Lucey (Kerry); Cameron Cope (Wolverhampton); Ger Leech (Westmeath).

Results (top 3):

Standing Vertical Jump:

C. Cope – 70cm
D. Cahalane – 64cm
S. Walsh – 64cm

Running Vertical Jump:

C. Cope – 84cm
E. Lowndes – 84cm
D. Cahalane – 82cm

Agility Run:

D. Flynn – 8.09sec
S. Carthy – 8.11sec
C. Cope – 8.17sec

20m Sprint Test:

C. Cope – 2.94sec
P. Brophy – 2.97sec
D. Cahalane – 2.99sec

Beep Test:

P. Brophy – 14.7
E. Lowndes – 14.2
N. Scully – 14.2

AFL Draft Combine Records:

Standing Vertical Jump: 85cm – Dean Towers – 2012

Running Vertical Jump: 102cm – Jared Brennan and Nic Naitanui – 2002 & 2008

Agility Run: 7.77sec – Stephen Hill – 2008

20m Sprint: 2.75sec – Joel Wilkinson – 2010

Beep Test: 16.01 – Bradley Hill – 2011