AFTER just a single game of Australian football, Port Adelaide's Irish recruit Daniel Flynn is more worried about the Australian summer than the rigours of playing professional sport.
Flynn had a number of clubs after his signature but it was the Power that got in first.
Senior assistant coach Alan Richardson phoned him in Ireland "a few months ago" and had the athletic 20-year-old flown to Adelaide during the National Combine in October.
Flynn said that while it was difficult to leave home, the tiny Irish county of Kildare, the decision to move to Australia and play for Port was easy.
"As soon as the opportunity came along I was always going to take it but it's hard to leave home and all the people there.
"They [Port Adelaide] got onto me first; 'Richo' seemed like a good fella and when I met him he was.
"I was chatting with Ken Hinkley then as well - I just really liked what I saw.
"I got advice off [former Sydney Swans star] Tadhg (Kennelly) as well; he said they're a good club."
The idea of playing football in Australia was planted in Flynn two years ago when Paul Cribbin was rookie listed by Collingwood.
"He's a friend of mine and Collingwood offered him a two-year rookie contract so that's when I kind of started thinking about it.
"A friend of mine went to draft camp last year, so then the idea just kind of got bigger and bigger."
Flynn recorded a lightning 2.83s 20m sprint at this year's National Combine, on par with Fremantle speedster Stephen Hill.
And he has exceptional kicking skills on both sides of his body for a man who has played only one game of football.
Having signed a two-year deal with the Power last month, Flynn admitted he had no firm expectations and wasn't anxious about the pre-season work.
He appeared most nervous about the imminent Adelaide summer.
"I got sunburned yesterday on my forehead and it was only 30 [degrees], so I'll have to stay inside," he laughed.
"I'll be putting sun cream on at night time.
"I've kind of just taken it as it's coming, I don't think there's much point in getting nervous.
"I'm going to be fairly slogged in the pre-season, I'm told I'll be wrecked."
