LEADING AFL player agent Ricky Nixon believes despite AFL clubs continuing to seek talent from Ireland, the Gaelic game will continue to thrive – and retain its amateur roots.

Nixon told afl.com.au’s Heavy Hitters that he was excited about his newest venture but was wary about what it could do to the Irish game – and had been warned by GAA officials.

“They just thought I was going to walk in there and say ‘look this is what I’m doing and if you don’t like it, well I’m just going to do it anyway’,” Nixon said.

“I didn’t think that was the way to approach it and I wouldn’t do it that way anyway.”

Asked whether he believed his new “co-op” network would pressure Gaelic officials into paying its players, Nixon replied: “No, they’re [the GAA] adamant, I asked them that.”

Five AFL clubs have already signed up to Nixon’s new Irish recruiting network, which includes state-of-the-art software and a two-day draft camp next month.

“That’ll involve some physical testing, some psychological tests, some skills testing with the Gaelic ball just to get them comfortable and then some with the Aussie Rules ball and then we’ll do some face-to-face interviews with the clubs,” Nixon said.

Once the camp is finished, Nixon said his job is done and it’s every club for itself.

“But they’re getting a bloody cheap recruiting system for $30,000.”

In his interview with afl.com.au, Nixon also discusses the competitive player manager industry, why he believes Ben Cousins shouldn’t return to the AFL and Anthony Rocca’s NFL punting plans. Click here for the full interview.