Football

Kerry starlet Cillian Burke set to join AFL side Geelong Cats

Burke joins up with fellow gaels Mark O’Connor and Osin Mullin in the Geelong set-up

Armagh Beat Kerry to reach the All Ireland Final at Croke Park. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Kerry's Cillian Burke will join the Geelong Cats in the AFL having played against Armagh in last year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final at Croke Park in Dublin. PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN
By Amher Khokhar

Kerry starlet Cillian Burke, 21, has joined Geelong as a Category B rookie ahead of the 2025 AFL season.

The former Kingdom underage player impressed in a breakthrough GAA campaign this year but has opted to play professionally Down Under where he will join forces with fellow Kerryman Mark O’Connor and Meath’s Oisin Mullin at the Cats.

Alongside the men, Geelong have Irish ladies Kate Kenny, Aishling Moloney, Rachel Kearns and Anna-Rose Kennedy in their AFLW team this year.

“Cillian is a very athletic and talented prospect, we are thrilled he has decided to join Geelong and can’t wait to welcome him to Australia next month,” Geelong General Manager of Football Andrew Mackie said.

Kerry’s Cillian Burke is denied a goal by Monaghan keeper Darren McDonnell
Kerry’s Cillian Burke is set to arrive in Australia next month to start pre-season training. Picture: Mark Marlow (" ")

“A very established GAA player, we understand Cillian has made a big life decision to move to Australia.

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“We will support him and have a plan in place to make a smooth transition to our football program.”

Burke is scheduled to arrive in Australia late next month to begin a brutal pre-season training programme in scorching summer temperatures.

The 2025 AFL men’s season is likely to start in early March.

In other news, the AFL is strongly considering a history-making night AFLW Grand Final on November 30.

The venue is undecided and will be confirmed once the two participants are known following the preliminary finals.

Ulster’s two Amy’s, Boyle-Carr for the Adelaide Crows, and Mulholland for the Fremantle Dockers, are both in contention for the play-offs ahead of this weekend’s final round of the regular season.