FORMER CAVAN FOOTBALLER Nicholas Walsh has been appointed high-performance manager of AFL outfit St Kilda.
The Irishman will take over after former chief Matt Hornsby departed in the wake of the Saints’ poor 2021 campaign.
The high-ranking role is Walsh’s latest progression Down Under. A highly touted Gaelic football youth prospect, Walsh signed for Melbourne in 2001 and he spent three seasons with the Demons. Persistent injuries interrupted his development in Australia and he returned home after being delisted.
There he played for and captained Cavan. Walsh later joined Croke Park as children’s games development officer after spending five years working for the Cavan County Board as their GAA development officer.
In 2012 when GWS Giants were founded in Sydney, he was recruited as strength and conditioning coach. He subsequently advanced to player development manager and backlines coach.
He has spent the last three years working with the AFL Coaches Association as manager of the Tackle Your Feelings program.
Walsh will join the Melbourne-based outfit ahead of the 2022 season. The club also has Kilkenny native Darragh Joyce on their list. The 24-year-old has been with the club since 2017, debuting in 2018.
Joyce’s current contract expires at the end of the season, but The42 understands a new deal has been agreed.
Walsh’s new role will make him the second Irishman in such a position. UL graduate Kevin White recently moved from Collingwood to become North Melbourne’s high-performance manager.
