World Footy News

Melbourne's Herald Sun reports that Carlton's O'hAilpin brothers may not be at the club in 2009. Setanta (pictured left) is having a break back in Ireland after struggling through the end of the season with the Blues, missing nearly half the year with a calf injury and/or demotion to the VFL. Aisake (pictured right), at 23 and 201 cm, has yet to make his AFL debut and has gained a reputation as a fiery player, with run-ins on the field and disputes with staff. Both players have switched their management to Michael Quinlan, who also looks after Sydney's Irishman Tadhg Kennelly. With 46 matches under his belt, the elder O'hAilpin has already exceeded the average length of an AFL career, with so many young players not making it past two or three years.

Encouragingly several clubs (Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide) are reported to be interested in Setanta, and Aisake has supposedly caught the eye of Collingwood. Trade week is always full of speculation and rumour, but hopefully the Fijian-Irishmen will still find themselves on AFL lists next season. Certainly with draft picks in the 20s and 30s being talked about as potential swaps for Setanta, he should be reasonably safe to make one of the 16 AFL lists. The Herald Sun article is: Carlton appear to be put O'hAilpin brothers on the market, by Mark Robinson.