Kobe McDonald will move to Australia with his parents in August - report
Gaelic football star Kobe McDonald is set to move to Australia in August to begin a professional career with the AFL club St Kilda. His family will relocate with him, marking a significant transition for the young athlete following his final season in Ireland.
Why it matters
The migration of top-tier Gaelic football talent to the Australian Football League continues to be a notable trend in Irish sports, impacting the domestic league's talent pool.
Mayo's Kobe McDonald celebrates with the Sam Maguire Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Mayo's teenage hero Kobe McDonald will begin life in Australia in August and will be joined Down Under by his family, Australian media reported on Monday.
The 18-year-old McDonald signed a contract with AFL side St Kilda last year but had remained at home to complete his Leaving Cert and play one year of senior football with Mayo - a season that ended gloriously on Sunday in Croke Park.
Afl.com.au reports that McDonald was watched in Sunday's All-Ireland final by St Kilda head of talent and acquisition Graeme Allan. Allan has overseen St Kilda's recruitment in Ireland in recent years with Cork's Liam O'Connell and Meath's Eamonn Armstrong among other Irish players to join the club.
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