Carlton and St Kilda are on the cusp of signing international rookies from Ireland following whirlwind scouting missions earlier this month.
SEN.com.au understands the Blues are completing medicals with two young Gaelic footballers in Dublin this week, while the Saints are keen on another player.
Though the two clubs did not cross paths, they had similar objectives and were aware of each other’s scouting priorities in Ireland.
Carlton list boss Nick Austin, national recruiting manager Mark Agresta and footy director Greg Williams spent nine days in Ireland, arriving back last Monday.
They hired an athletics track and tested up to 20 young men aged between 18 and 22 in kicking, marking, handballing, plus other skill-based attributes. They also conducted a two-kilometre time trial and measured GPS data.
From there, the trio had roughly 10 home visits before shortlisting the best six or so for further testing.
It’s understood Carlton has landed on its preferred two players, with an official announcement coming as soon as this week.
St Kilda list boss Stephen Silvagni, who has a famously tense relationship with his former club, arrived in Ireland after Carlton flew home and with a focus on one specific player.
There, he joined Graeme ‘Gubby’ Allen in pursuit of Irish talent to top up the club’s list.
Sources with knowledge of their plans said the player they were most keen on was also on the initial radar of the Blues.
St Kilda’s mission appeared more covert than Carlton’s. Allen and Silvagni declined to comment when contacted by SEN.com.au.
It’s believed Silvagni was in Ireland for no more than a few days.
Of note was one of the men who ran clinics while the Saints pair were there. It was former fitness boss Nick Walsh, who quit the club earlier this year in part due to differences with coach Ross Lyon.
Walsh and Allen are close from their time at GWS and Walsh’s skillset extends beyond just conditioning and fitness.
Gold Coast also has representation in Ireland, though it’s understood the Suns’ priority focuses more on consolidating their AFLW talent.
The entire salary of Category B rookies is absorbed outside the salary cap and there are no limits as to how many international rookies clubs can have on their list.
A clear limitation is not just the cost of paying the players, but also funding coaching to upskill them to become AFL footballers.
Carlton currently has one Category B rookie on its list: 2021 Next Generation Academy product Domanic Akuei.
In March the club’s AFLW program signed Dayna Finn and Erone Fitzpatrick.
St Kilda has two Category B rookies: defender Angus McLennan and Jack Peris who recently debuted versus Gold Coast.
Clubs can sign Category B rookies at any time of the year. Alex Keath, Jack Buckley and Changkuoth Jiath are three examples currently on AFL lists.
To be eligible as a Category B rookie, you must not have played competitive football in a three-year period before being selected.
Carlton and St Kilda are attempting to lure top Irish athletes as Category B Rookies.
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) August 13, 2023
⬇ pic.twitter.com/zZpIYIlB0F