Past #41: Conor Meredith - signed as a Cat B rookie (#68, '08 RD) - delisted at end of 2010

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Not sure if this is on the board yet- so I thought i'd post it.
In The Age today- there was a small snip-it saying that we've signed Conor to a 2 year international rookie contract.

There's not much info on him- except that he's a midfielder.
Let's hope he can follow in the same vein as Kenelly and Stynes.
 
From the other day


http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/t...x?newsId=69931

Irishmen make case to join Roos



By Steve Lavell 11:00 AM Thu 20 November, 2008
NMFC_Logo_IC.jpg
North Melbourne Football Club


ARDEN Street may become a home for a hopeful Irishman in 2009, with North Melbourne considering filling one of its five available rookie-list spots with an international recruit.
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That's pretty exciting seeing as I believe St. Kilda were also after him.

I don't expect anything superb by him to be honest, but it shows the club are willing to take some punts which is what's needed to keep buliding towards a premiership.

Good get, and all the best to Conor on making it at AFL level.
 

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Meredith trained with Richmond and North. North signed hm. Kielt has trained with North and is training for a week with the Saints. After he finishes, both teams will have the opportunity to speak with Nixon if they're interested. The deal is that no offer is made until the player trains with both teams.
 
jschwag said:
Meredith trained with Richmond and North. North signed hm. Kielt has trained with North and is training for a week with the Saints. After he finishes, both teams will have the opportunity to speak with Nixon if they're interested. The deal is that no offer is made until the player trains with both teams.
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What feedback are you getting on Meredith jschwag? Are we excited? or just hopeful? or just so keen to deal with the delightful Ricky Nixon that we will take whatever he suggests?
 
I still don't quite understand how the system works in terms of who gets to rookie those kids - us or Richmond or St Kilda in case of another player.

The fact we signed Meredith, does that mean that Richmond didn't want him, or he chose us or we paid more? How does that work?
 
Event Horizon said:
I still don't quite understand how the system works in terms of who gets to rookie those kids - us or Richmond or St Kilda in case of another player.

The fact we signed Meredith, does that mean that Richmond didn't want him, or he chose us or we paid more? How does that work?
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yeah, not sure on how it works either, but all of those things you mentioned may be correct. i think there is a bit more excitement around NMFC these days, a new leadership off field, new facilities to come, senior players in the IR squad, and that would appeal more than a club without a sponsor, imo. the other fella, Kielt?, mentioned that he had watched a bit of North over the years back home, so maybe that golden era has some bearing on his decision making as well. ah well, good luck to all, hope it works :thumbsu:
 
First, with Meredith. He must have shown something! Brisbane had him for two weeks earlier this year. When Voss came on board, Brisbane went cool.
He trialled with Richmond, and then North for a week each. Both clubs had the opportunity to then deal with Nixon. North signed him as a rookie. This kid came over here knowing he had to fly straight back and play in his Grand Final as soon as he hit the ground back in Ireland. That says something about his desire to play AFL, and something about his value to his team back home.
He has brilliant skills in his game, and if he makes the adjustment to the AFL ball, should be a good one.

The way it works is that Nixon gets two interested clubs to split the cost of the kid coming over. Each club gets a one week trial and neither club is allowed to make the kid an offer (or indicate one). It keeps it fair for both clubs. Once both clubs have trialled the player, they both sit down with Nixon (separately) and express their interest and their offer.

It's a fair way to work it and makes it even for both clubs as well as looking after these young kids. I'm not a big Ricky Nixon fan, but he appears to have done an excellent job on this system.

We find out about Kielt after the trial with the Saints finishes.
 
From www.arfli.com site earlier in the year:

Brisbane Lions in Irish football sting

THE Brisbane Lions have quietly smuggled the latest Irish Gaelic football junior star into the country for two-week trial. Conor Meredith, 18, arrived in Brisbane on Tuesday night and joined the Lions for a light training session at the Gabba yesterday.

Meredith hails from Lion Colm Begley's home county Laois, but was spotted by Brisbane football manager Graeme Allan playing at Dublin City University. Meredith, from the O'Dempsey's club in Killenard, is one of Ireland's brightest junior stars. He is on a GAA football scholarship to study in Dublin.

Allan, who also saw him play county football for Laois, described him as a strong-running athletic type. "He is similar to Colm Begley and Pearce Hanley (a Lions rookie from county Mayo), the kind of running player we feel adapts well to our game," Allan said.


From http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=69934:

Irish cream may top up talent, says North by Steve Lavell

RAW SKILLS displayed at Ricky Nixon's Ireland draft camp in August encouraged North Melbourne talent manager Cameron Joyce to invite Conor Meredith and James Kielt to train with the club.


From The Age’s www.realfooty.com.au site:

Irish young guns here to try their AFL luck by Dan Silkstone

Meredith is a tall full forward in Ireland but — with good running ability — is more likely to play at half-back in the AFL. Nixon describes him as one of the best natural kicks of the oval ball he has seen.


From The Age’s www.realfooty.com.au site:

Irish are running hot by Dan Silkstone

wbAFLirishtiger_narrowweb__300x451,0.jpg

Meredith on the left

On the basis of yesterday's session [with Richmond], if the pair [McKeever and Meredith] do not make it as AFL footballers it will not be for lack of application. Watching on, you wondered how they were possibly surviving under the punishing sun, but still they smiled and kept going.
 
He seens pretty keen to do it and give it his all, hope it works out for us. He looks pretty athletic and the irish boys are all generally pretty quick, just needs to add size and get used to the ball. Best of luck to Conor.
 
New Roo Meredith has a craic

By Steve Lavell
Wed 03 December, 2008

IT'S BEEN a hectic fortnight for Conor Meredith, offered a two-year international rookie position by North Melbourne, returning to Ireland to discuss the opportunity with his family and landing on Sunday morning to start pre-season training.

Meredith, from County Laois, had five-day trials with Richmond and North last month but also spent time with the Brisbane Lions in July.

North's list manager Cameron Joyce spotted Meredith at player agent Ricky Nixon's draft camp in Ireland in August and thought the 19-year-old had the attributes to adapt to the Australian code.

"It was a combination of things, but one of the main things was that his kicking was pretty good the first time I saw him," Joyce said. "And I thought he was a quality person who was pretty driven to play professional sport.

"I also believe that he possibly could make the transition with his height at 186cm and his speed being pretty good over 20 metres. The package wasn't too bad."

North was one of four clubs to confirm by Tuesday that it would add an international rookie to its squad – Adelaide, Essendon and the Sydney Swans being the others – and Joyce expects that number to grow in the coming years.

"I think a few more clubs are exploring Ireland and that's what we wanted to do as part of our recruiting strategies – for the next five to seven years when things might be a little bit tougher to obtain talent," he said.

He added that the main scouting opportunities through Nixon's system may be brought forward to February or March so that AFL clubs can see prospective rookies represent their universities, while given a larger window to offer trials, visit parents or watch more Gaelic football.

Starting with the two-day coastal camp at Wilsons Promontory, Meredith will undertake three-and-a-half weeks' training before returning to Ireland over Christmas and the New Year.

"We just thought it was really important to get him back and get him involved with the club," Joyce said.

"Make sure his transition was good, [sort out] where he's going to live, get to know the footy club and get accustomed to training."

Because of Meredith's selection and with small forward Cruize Garlett to retain his spot for another season, North will have four selections in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft on December 16.

"We're just working out what's fallen out of the national draft from Saturday and obviously keeping our needs firmly in mind to produce another list to go in with," Joyce said.
kangaroos.com.au
 
IT'S BEEN a hectic fortnight for Conor Meredith, offered a two-year international rookie position by North Melbourne, returning to Ireland to discuss the opportunity with his family and landing on Sunday morning to start pre-season training.

Meredith, from County Laois, had five-day trials with Richmond and North last month but also spent time with the Brisbane Lions in July.

North's list manager Cameron Joyce spotted Meredith at player agent Ricky Nixon's draft camp in Ireland in August and thought the 19-year-old had the attributes to adapt to the Australian code.

"It was a combination of things, but one of the main things was that his kicking was pretty good the first time I saw him," Joyce said. "And I thought he was a quality person who was pretty driven to play professional sport.

"I also believe that he possibly could make the transition with his height at 186cm and his speed being pretty good over 20 metres. The package wasn't too bad."

North was one of four clubs to confirm by Tuesday that it would add an international rookie to its squad – Adelaide, Essendon and the Sydney Swans being the others – and Joyce expects that number to grow in the coming years.

"I think a few more clubs are exploring Ireland and that's what we wanted to do as part of our recruiting strategies – for the next five to seven years when things might be a little bit tougher to obtain talent," he said.

He added that the main scouting opportunities through Nixon's system may be brought forward to February or March so that AFL clubs can see prospective rookies represent their universities, while given a larger window to offer trials, visit parents or watch more Gaelic football.

Starting with the two-day coastal camp at Wilsons Promontory, Meredith will undertake three-and-a-half weeks' training before returning to Ireland over Christmas and the New Year.

"We just thought it was really important to get him back and get him involved with the club," Joyce said.

"Make sure his transition was good, [sort out] where he's going to live, get to know the footy club and get accustomed to training."

Because of Meredith's selection and with small forward Cruize Garlett to retain his spot for another season, North will have four selections in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft on December 16.

"We're just working out what's fallen out of the national draft from Saturday and obviously keeping our needs firmly in mind to produce another list to go in with," Joyce said.
kangaroos.com.au
 
Let's hope Conor reaches his full potential. All the talk about his Gaelic footy prospects were that he was an emerging gun. I hope, for our AFL club, that he develops into an M16!

Welcome to North Melbourne Conor. In fact, welcome to North Melbourne, and Victoria, and Australia for that matter :thumbsu:

T'toes
 

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If I was watching the right bloke, there's a bit of Boomer about him!

And, is it Conor or Connor? Various websites have either spelling. Can someone sort this out please. It is very distressing.
 
Kimbo said:
If I was watching the right bloke, there's a bit of Boomer about him!

And, is it Conor or Connor? Various websites have either spelling. Can someone sort this out please. It is very distressing.
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Definately. Knows how to turn his opponent inside out.:thumbsu:
 
Kimbo said:
If I was watching the right bloke, there's a bit of Boomer about him!

And, is it Conor or Connor? Various websites have either spelling. Can someone sort this out please. It is very distressing.
Click to expand...

2 'N's
 
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