Kerry Under-20 player Ben Murphy looks set to become the latest Gaelic footballer to move to the AFL, with the Brisbane Lions the destination for the Austin Stacks clubman.
The Kerryman is reporting that the 18-year-old, a Kerry minor in 2023 and 2024 and part of Tomás Ó Sé's U20 team this year, is expected to join the Lions on a category b rookie contract later this month after impressing during a trial in August.
The Lions already have Irish representation, in the form of Kilkenny's Darragh Joyce, while Tyrone's Conor McKenna is out of contract but is believed to have been offered a one-year extension.
Murphy will be on club duty this weekend when Stacks take on Rathmore in the Kerry County SFC semi-final.
His departure will be a blow for Kerry, who have lost several players to Aussie Rules in recent years, including Mark O’Connor, Cillian Burke and Rob Monahan.
Speaking earlier this year, U20 manager Ó Sé outlined his frustration with the way in which AFL sides are poaching some of the best Irish talent.
"I think it’s wrong what’s going on, I think there’s players being tapped up," he said at the launch of the All-Ireland under-20 football championship back in February.
"I know for a fact that there’s an under-20 player in Kerry being rang by coaches from an Australian club telling him how he did in matches after watching him on Clubber.
"I don’t know what the rules are, but if it was soccer or rugby I don’t think they’d be allowed to do that when a fella is doing his Leaving Cert."
