Ireland under-20 Noah Byrne is set to join AFL side Brisbane Lions having turned down a contract at Leinster in July.
Speaking during the summer, Leinster academy manager Peter Smyth confirmed Byrne had been offered a contract, which the 20-year-old turned down in favour of a move to the AFL.
“I understand his decision and my door will always be open,” Smyth said of Byrne’s decision.
Several AFL clubs were understood to have made contact with Byrne during his time playing with the Dublin minor footballers while still a student at Gonzaga College. Byrne was part of the Dubs side that reached the 2023 All-Ireland minor football semi-final, where they were defeated by eventual champions Derry.
Byrne also turned down subsequent advances from AFL clubs last year, instead opting to turn his focus to rugby. The fullback featured for Ireland in this year’s Under-20 Six Nations and the World Rugby Junior World Championship in July.
The Lions, who count Conor McKenna (Tyrone), Ben Murphy (Kerry) and Darragh Joyce (Kilkenny) among their squad, are gunning for a third consecutive AFL title this weekend, facing Fremantle in the Grand Final.