After trialling with the Carlton Football Club last year, Ciaran Byrne was back at Princes Park again in the past couple of weeks and has been confirmed as the latest Irish import to the AFL. Byrne will be officially taken in the AFL's national draft later this year as an International Rookie.
Following the last two notable failures in John Heslin and Ciaran Kilkenny at Richmond and Hawthorn respectively to make it past preseason, clubs may have become understandably shy of bringing out young homesick Gaelic footballers.
But the success this year of Pearce Hanley and Zach Tuohy would have reignited the faith that getting the right players and being prepared to be patient for the transition to be fulfilled can reap rewards.
Of course Carlton are not new in the Irish cross over game and will be glad to have locked in Byrne after Kilkenny slipped their grasp last year.
Carlton have a strong recruiting setup in Ireland and it will be interesting to see if any other clubs have a renewed interest in Irish talent.
For more on Byrne see - http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2013-08-01/ciaran-hooked-on-aussie-rules ...