World Footy News

The All Australian selection committee met this week to finalise the selection of the 40 players in the running to be named in the final All Australian team.  Each panel member named their best 22 players (not named in position) and the final 40 were selected from that list. 

One notable omission was Pearce Hanley, the Irishman who has had a great season for the Brisbane Lions despite his team not performing so well.  His stellar season has been widely acknowledged across the football media spectrum.

Some consolation for him today though as the Brisbane paper The Courier Mail broke that story that his 17 year-old brother Cian Hanley would join the Brisbane Lions.  The younger Hanley though won't feature for a while as he just recently suffered an ACL injury in the All Ireland Minor semi-final playing for County Mayo.

As other Irish players Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney head home and the luckless Tommy Walsh may also be nearing the end of his Aussie oddessy, Cian Hanley could be joined by more Irish rookies as clubs see the payoff that can come from the Irish conversion.

All signs were that Sean Hurley who trialled at the AFL Combine last year and with Fremantle will return to the WA club for the 2015 season. Padraig Lucey who just finished playing with Ireland in the International Cup could be recruited from his involvement with The Recruit reality TV series.  And Connor McKenna and Paddy Brophy have both been invited to the 2014 AFL Combine in Melbourne where AFL clubs will take a close look at their abilities. 

Also don't be suprised if Hawthorn have another look at Conor Glass who had a very low key trial with the Hawks last summer.