A long hard road Down Under

Ahmer Khokhar talks to Jim Stynes about the Ó hAilpín brothers' chances of success in Australian Rules football

Former Dublin senior footballer Jim Stynes believes the Ó hAilpín brothers might struggle to survive in the professional world of Australian Rules football.

Aisake Ó hAilpín joined his older brother Setanta on Carlton's rookie list last year but after a season of toil in the Victorian Football League - a competition for senior reserves squads - the pair remain on the periphery of the senior team with Stynes predicting even tougher times ahead.

Setanta, who was actually born in Sydney 23 years ago just before his family settled in Cork, returned to Australia in November 2003 to try his luck with Aussie Rules. He was drafted on to Carlton's senior list after only six months there but a broken foot halted his progress.

Now back on the rookie list, he is ineligible for senior honours until there is a long-term - eight weeks or longer - injury to a senior-listed player, and he will have to wait until next year for more senior opportunities.

"Setanta has done really well to get this far but Aussie Rules is a bloody tough business," said Stynes, who became one of the game's biggest stars during his time with the Melbourne Demons in the 1980s and 90s.

"He has gone from being a big fish in the small sea of Irish sport to a small fish in the big sea of Aussie Rules. The problem is that most Aussie Rules clubs tend to move players on who drop in and out of their senior teams.

"The only way Setanta will establish himself in the Carlton senior team is to reach a level that is significantly better than some of his team-mates. Many people don't realise that most AFL players are lucky to even play 20 senior games so there is no guarantee he will make it, but I hope he does because he has worked very hard."

Aisake, the youngest of the four Ó hAilpín brothers, began his Carlton career in the VFL reserves - effectively the third team below the seniors and rookies - where he has spent the season learning the rules and coming to terms with the physical nature of the oval-ball game.

Stynes is concerned he may have started too soon. "When I saw Aisake play hurling for Na Piarsaigh last year he was too easily pushed aside by stronger opponents," Stynes said.

"His silky skills, height, and pace are impressive assets, but in Aussie Rules it's the big, strong men who survive.

"Having said that, Aisake at 6ft 6in (197cm) has the height to develop into an outstanding ruckman because they are a scarce commodity. But I am not sure if it's a good idea for him to be at the same club as his brother. He needs to develop in his own right and could end up living in his brother's shadow."

Carlton coach Dennis Pagan, however, remains confident that his gamble in recruiting the Cork duo will pay off. "We are very happy with Aisake and Setanta's progress and they are both going to make it," he said.