Setanta Ó hAilpín will be named on the Carlton Blues rookie list for the forthcoming season, the Australian Rules club have confirmed. The Sydney-born Cork hurler will switch codes and is to be officially named a Blues player before Friday's 2 p.m. (Australian time) deadline for international rookies.
Ó hAilpín, who was named as Young Hurler of the Year at last Friday's All Stars awards, has already started training with the Melbourne based club as he bids to get used to the oval ball.
"It's been arranged now," Ó hAilpín told the club's official website, carltonfc.com.au. "They approached me six or seven weeks ago. I got onto (Carlton recruiting manager) Shane (O'Sullivan) and he told me to come out and see if I like it and see if they like me as a footballer."
"The biggest thing that drove me here is the way that AFL is professional and I'd like to see myself as a professional player in the years to come," the 20-year-old added.
Ó hAilpín has been in contact with former Kerry footballers and current Sydney Swans star Tadhg Kennelly who he considers a 'big inspiration'.
Other Irishmen to successfully make the switch to the Australian game include Dubliner Jim Stynes, who picked up the Brownlow Medal (the highest accolade bestowed on a 'footy' player) during a highly decorated career spanning 11-years .
Stynes, who shone for the Melbourne Demons winning four best and fairest awards, has also been inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.
Steven McDonnell, Graham Canty and Sean Marty Lockhart have also been linked with moves down under although no official approaches have been made as of yet.