Colm Begley
Encyclopedia
Colm Begley is a Gaelic football
er from Ireland. He has also played Australian rules football
for the St Kilda Football Club and Brisbane Lions
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
, along with several other potential recruits during a training camp in Ireland, having previously witnessed a near best on ground performance from the young Irishman in the Under 19s International Rules series playing for Ireland against Australia. Begley was later persuaded to move to Australia as a rookie listed professional Australian rules footballer in 2005.
whilst playing on Melbourne speedster Aaron Davey
.
He was later elevated to the senior list during the regular season when the Lions suffered a string of injuries. In his senior debut against the West Coast Eagles
he gathered seven possessions, seven marks and two hitouts, lining up on Brownlow Medal
list Chris Judd
. At the end of the season he was retained by the club as a rookie listed player.
Following his good form through the 2007 NAB Cup, Begley was once again elevated onto the Brisbane Lions' senior playing list and was soon after named on the interchange bench in the Lions' first game for the season. He was soon playing regularly for the Lions. Begley was named the club's Rookie Of The Year in 2007. His rise after such a short time playing the sport was described as 'remarkable'. However, Brisbane opted not to offer him a new contract for the 2009 season following an injury ravaged 2008 which restricted him to only eight appearances.
Begley represented Ireland in the senior 2008 International Rules Series
with rumours of his delisting circulating; many commentators claimed that he was playing for his career. During this time he said that if his AFL career was over he would return to play Gaelic football with Laois. He appeared in both matches in the series, which Ireland won.
prior to the 2008 AFL Draft. He was eventually selected by St Kilda at pick 83.
Begley played in only one of the 22 matches of the 2009 AFL season home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals, winning the club’s third minor premiership
.
After the 2009 AFL season, Begley retired from the AFL, announcing his desire to return to Ireland.
side Parnells and has returned to inter county football with his native Laois
.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er from Ireland. He has also played Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
for the St Kilda Football Club and Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL).
Recruitment
Begley was scouted by the Lions football manager Graeme AllanGraeme Allan
Graeme 'Gubby' Allan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League ....
, along with several other potential recruits during a training camp in Ireland, having previously witnessed a near best on ground performance from the young Irishman in the Under 19s International Rules series playing for Ireland against Australia. Begley was later persuaded to move to Australia as a rookie listed professional Australian rules footballer in 2005.
Brisbane Lions
Begley played his very first game of Australian rules immediately after moving from Ireland to Australia in 2006. In just his third game weeks later, he lined up in a NAB Cup quarter final. In that game he picked up a total of six possessions and one markMark (Australian football)
A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground....
whilst playing on Melbourne speedster Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey is a professional Australian rules football player of Indigenous Australian heritage. He currently plays for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
.
He was later elevated to the senior list during the regular season when the Lions suffered a string of injuries. In his senior debut against the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
he gathered seven possessions, seven marks and two hitouts, lining up on Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
list Chris Judd
Chris Judd
Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
. At the end of the season he was retained by the club as a rookie listed player.
Following his good form through the 2007 NAB Cup, Begley was once again elevated onto the Brisbane Lions' senior playing list and was soon after named on the interchange bench in the Lions' first game for the season. He was soon playing regularly for the Lions. Begley was named the club's Rookie Of The Year in 2007. His rise after such a short time playing the sport was described as 'remarkable'. However, Brisbane opted not to offer him a new contract for the 2009 season following an injury ravaged 2008 which restricted him to only eight appearances.
Begley represented Ireland in the senior 2008 International Rules Series
2008 International Rules Series
The 2008 International Rules series was the 10th annual International Rules Series and the 16th time that a test series of international rules football has been played between Ireland and Australia....
with rumours of his delisting circulating; many commentators claimed that he was playing for his career. During this time he said that if his AFL career was over he would return to play Gaelic football with Laois. He appeared in both matches in the series, which Ireland won.
St Kilda
In the hope that he would be redrafted, Begley trained with CollingwoodCollingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
prior to the 2008 AFL Draft. He was eventually selected by St Kilda at pick 83.
Begley played in only one of the 22 matches of the 2009 AFL season home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals, winning the club’s third minor premiership
2009 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...
.
After the 2009 AFL season, Begley retired from the AFL, announcing his desire to return to Ireland.
Return to Ireland and Senior Gaelic Football
Colm is currently playing for Dublin GAADublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
side Parnells and has returned to inter county football with his native Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
.
See also
- Players who have converted from one football code to anotherPlayers who have converted from one football code to anotherThere are many players who have converted from one football code to another or even changed from other sports at a professional or representational level....
- The Irish ExperimentIrish experimentThe Irish Experiment is the popular name for the interest, primarily from VFL/AFL clubs, in bringing Irish sportspeople to Australia to play Australian Rules Football professionally ....