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26th September 2011
08:49am BST
Tommy Walsh has moved to dismiss speculation that he will make a return with the Kerry footballers next year, confirming that he will once again play AFL next season.
There had been speculation that the 2008 Young Footballer of the Year and Ivan Drago lookalike would return home from his two-year stint in Australia and help boost what is an ageing Kerry squad next season, but the 23-year old confirmed his intention to return down under when speaking after an appearance for home club Kerins O’Rahilly’s at the weekend.
"I'll be in Australia next year. That's for certain. But I don't know too much more than that at this stage. I haven't signed anything yet, and we'll see what happens," he said.
Walsh adapted back to his first sport with ease over the weekend, scoring two points from midfield and full forward in a four-point victory over An Ghaeltacht in a senior league match.
"It's great to be back,” Walsh added.
“This was a big game for us because we needed the two points. This is what I miss the most when I am in Australia so to come home, put on the Strand Road jersey again and play with the lads is great."
Walsh, who according to the website of his current club St. Kilda was recruited from County Kerry FC, has yet to feature at senior level for the Melbourne-based outfit, but has regularly impressed for their second side, Sandringham, in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
He is likely to be retained by St. Kilda when he does return Down Under, which will probably be as a member of the Irish International Rules squad heading to take on their AFL counterparts in two tests at the end of next month.
