The experiment began in the early 1980’s when Ron Barassi of the Melbourne Demon’s drew comparisons between AFL and Gaelic Football and believed that Irish players could quickly adapt to the Australian game.
Since then 28 Irish GAA players have played in the AFL with many more coming over as Rookie’s but never managing a game.
Here is our look at the Top 10 AFL Irish players:
10. Setanta Ó hAilpín (Cork, Carlton Blues/GWS Giants, 88 Games)
To paraphrase Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Ó hAilpín’s father was from Fermanagh and his mother was from Fiji, neither of which are a hurling or AFL stronghold. Despite this Ó hAilpín managed to have the best goals to game ratio out of any Irish player to have played more than a single game as he average a goal in 93% of his 88 matches.
9. Marty Clarke (Down, Collingwood Magpies, 73 Games)
Clarke made a big impression in the AFL over two stints as a speedy defender. His breakout 2007 season saw him nominated for the AFL Rising Star award for best young player which was an unbelievable achievement for a player in his first year of senior footy. Unfortunately injury and being diagnosed with Addison's disease curtailed his promising career.
8. Mark O’Connor (Kerry, Geelong Cats, 109 Games)
Unfortunate not to be higher on the list O’Connor signed for Geelong in 2016 and quickly made his debut in 2017 as a defender and occasional ‘tagger’ of opposing teams key players. O’Connor is a very consistent performer and became a Premiership winning player in 2022 as Geelong overcame Sydney. By the end of his career he could be much higher on this list.
7. Conor Nash (Meath, Hawthorn Hawks, 73 Games)
If Nash’s 2023 season is an indicator of what is to come he could easily finish his career within the Top 3 Irish exports to the AFL. Nash racked up an average of 24 disposals and nearly 5 tackles a game in his first full season in the midfield with his height and running power making him a formidable opponent.
6. Pearce Hanley (Mayo, Brisbane Lions / Gold Coast Suns, 169 Games)
Hanley had a very successful AFL career playing 169 games across the two Queensland clubs. He quickly adapted to the game and within a year of moving to Brisbane was a first team regular. Hanley was noted for his pace and creativity off the wing along with an exceptional kicking ability. Unfortunately injuries restricted him to just 40 games in his final 4 years before retiring at just 31.
5. Conor McKenna (Tyrone, Essendon Bombers / Brisbane Lions, 105 Games)
McKenna burst onto the AFL scene in his first year in the league kicking a goal with his first kick in 2015. His pace, athleticism and skill as a flying half back troubled defenders around the league while he occasionally mistook the MCG for Croke Park and began soloing the ball up the field to the delight of the crowd and commentators.
Suffering from homesickness and media abuse after contracting COVID McKenna moved back to Ireland in 2020 and quickly became a key player for Tyrone in their 2021 All-Ireland triumph. However he was swiftly poached back by the Brisbane Lions in 2023 and narrowly missed out on an AFL Premiership in his first year in Queensland.
4. Sean Wight ( Kerry, Melbourne Demons, 150 Games)
Wight was the 2nd Gaelic Footballer (1st being Paul Earley) to be tempted into a code switch in 1983 by Melbourne’s Barry Richardson and Ron Barassi in what became known as “The Irish Experiment”.
Wight played as a lockdown defender and became famous for his incredible marks and somewhat unorthodox style. He went on to play 150 games and along with fellow Irishman Jim Synes lost out to Hawthorn in the 1988 Grand Final.
3. Zach Tuohy ( Laois, Carlton Blues / Geelong Cats, 270 games)
Tuohy began his AFL career with Carlton Blues in 2010 and his versatility across defence, midfield and forward along with his excellent ability to Torp the Sherrin soon seen him become a fan favorite.
In 2017 Tuohy joined Geelong Cats and won an AFL Premiership medal in 2022 in what was his 250th AFL appearance. Tuohy has since overtook Stynes' all time games record by an Irishman in 2023 and having signed an extension for 2024 he isn’t finished yet.
2. Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry, Sydney Swans, 197 Games)
Kennelly joined Sydney Swans in 1999 following a successful underage career with Kerry. He quickly made his AFL debut in 2001 as an attacking half-back and went on to win an AFL Premiership in 2005 becoming the first Irishman to do so.
Kennelly wished to follow in his fathers footsteps by winning an All-Ireland medal and he managed to accomplish this ambition with Kerry in 2009. Kennelly remains the only player to have won both an AFL Premiership and an All-Ireland Title.
1. Jim Stynes (Dublin, Melbourne Demons, 264 Games)
Stynes is unquestionably the greatest Irish player to play the game! Having won an All-Ireland minor medal with Dublin in 1984 Jim Stynes joined the Melbourne Demons as a Ruckman later that year and went on to make his senior debut in 1987.
In 1991 he won the Brownlow Medal, the equivalent of the GAA Player of the Year award, and remains the only non-Australian born player to do so. Stynes also holds the record for most consecutive games played in VFL/AFL history (244) and became Chairman of Melbourne Demons in 2008 before his untimely death in 2012 aged just 45.
Stynes received a Victorian state funeral and has a statue in his honour outside the MCG. His legacy continues through the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award which is awarded annually during the Brownlow Medal ceremony.
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