Down youngster Martin Clarke has become the latest Irishman to leave GAA circles for the professional Australian Rules league.
The 18-year-old, a star performer for the Down side that won last year's minor All-Ireland title, has agreed a two-year professional contract with Melbourne side Collingwood.
Collingwood have been tracking Clarke's progress for two years and invited him to spend five weeks of the summer with them to train with his new team-mates.
Clarke will first join the Collingwood Youth Academy in October where the club hopes to groom him and hone his skills ahead of a future introduction to the senior team.
Collingwood's recruitment manager Derek Hine is impressed at how quickly Clarke has adapted to the Australian game.
"The exciting thing for us is, given Martin's Gaelic background, and his anticipated development, both physically and in a football sense - the sky is the limit," Hine said.
"Martin's endurance is already up around the best of any player at the club. That along with his evasive speed gives him a real opportunity to run through the middle of the ground."
Hine continued: "One thing that you can't teach is vision and game sense in contested situations and he is very good in those areas. He is the best player in Ireland."
Clarke will join fellow Irishmen Tadgh Kennelly (Sydney Swans), brothers Setanta and Aisake O'hAilpin (Carlton) and Colm Begley (Brisbane Lions) in the AFL.
Hines cited Begley as an example of what Clarke could achieve. The former Laois player joined the Lions last October and made his senior debut for them against West Coast at the weekend.
Collingwood is one of the heavyweights of the Australian game and in the last year has reportedly spent more on player recruitment than any of its rivals.