Kevin Dyas has followed Martin Clarke’s lead by calling time on his Aussie Rules career. The Armagh man has left Collingwood after an injury hit two-year spell at the Melbourne club.
The lure of home, coupled with his injury problems, tipped the balance for Dyas and the 21-year-old opted not to pursue a full-time contract with the Magpies. Both players flew back to Ireland from Australia earlier today.
“It was not quite as unexpected as Marty (Clarke)” said Geoff Walsh, Collingwood’s head of football operations. “Kevin tore his hamstring off the bone late last season and had to go through a six-month recovery period.
“Given where he’s at, we all agreed Kevin would have needed to do every possible thing over the summer to get himself into an elite level of fitness. There was some doubt whether his training would allow him to do that.”
Walsh admitted homesickness also played a part in Dyas’s decision
“There’s no doubt that was also the case,” he said. “At times he encountered that, but most of the time he really enjoyed the experience.”
Despite losing two Irish recruits in the space of a week, Walsh remains committed to attracting young GAA talent.
“We’ll continue to have a network operating for us in Ireland, and if they see players they consider to be prospects, we’ll still be positive” he added.