Young footballer of the year for 2014 Colin O'Riordan signed for AFL side Sydney Swans back in October, and he is giving everything he has in order to ensure that his two-year rookie contract isn't the last one he signs over in Australia.
Having captained the Tipperary side that lost to Tyrone in the U21 All Ireland final last year, O'Riordan thought that the physical demands put on GAA players in this country were that of a professional standard, until that is, he experienced what life is like as an Aussie Rules pro.
He's certainly not complaining, and O'Riordan believes he has conquered a mental block that was caused by the sudden difference in work ethic upon moving down under, but he revealed to Independent.ie that the professionalism of the AFL taught him a harsh lesson early on:
I've learned how professional 'professional' really is. You think the GAA is professional, but when you come over here you realise it has a long way to go.
You'd wake up crippled some mornings from pre-season here, you'd be aching and wonder how you're going to train that day. You'd question 'why am I here at all? How am I even going to get out of the bed?'
You have to prepare yourself for the toughest physical test you're ever going to take in your life and that's the mindset you need. It's mind over matter really. You have to get over that mental block and earn your gravy with every single thing you do. You're trying to get noticed and everything you do must be done like a true professional.
O'Riordan was also eager to dispel some myths surrounding his motives for moving to Australia as one of the brightest GAA talents of his age group. Rather than seeking out a sun-holiday, it sounds like the Tipp man is experiencing very little other than hard work and training.
In fact, he hasn't even seen Sydney Opera House yet:
People think you just come out here and bulk up but it couldn't be more the opposite. They want lean athletes who can run. It's not rugby, you're not tumbling into lads every two seconds, you're trying to avoid the hits.
Some people thought I was coming over here for a holiday and thought I'd be in looking at the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge every day of the week, but I haven't been into the city once.
I've driven one road: the road to the club and then back home. All you do is train. You come home, you sleep, you eat, you train. It's a cliche but it's true and when you're not training, you're trying to recover.
He also doesn't sound like a very big rugby fan, but that's neither here nor there.
You have to admire Colin O'Riordan's honesty in speaking on the difficulty of making the adjustment to the AFL, and his own personal troubles initially, but you get the impression that he's well up for the challenge.
via Independent.ie
