IRISHMAN Darragh Joyce will audition for an AFL lifeline at Brisbane after the Lions invited him to train ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection period deadline next month.
The 25-year-old was delisted by St Kilda at the end of August following 13 senior appearances across six years, after originally joining the Saints as a category B rookie in 2016.
Joyce decided to remain in Australia after being overlooked by all 18 clubs during the delisted free agency window and AFL and Rookie Drafts, before signing with Collingwood's VFL program for the 2023 season.
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Now the County Kilkenny product will spend the next month training at Brighton Homes Arena in an attempt to earn another shot at the highest level.
Brisbane had already used the vacant spot on its rookie list to add former Bomber Conor McKenna when the pre-season supplemental selection period opened on December 5, beating Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Essendon to secure his services.
But the decision on Monday to move key defender Marcus Adams to the inactive list due to long-term concussion issues that are set to rule him out of the 2023 season has opened up another spot on the rookie list, allowing list manager Dom Ambrogio to explore adding some depth to the Lions' defence.
While Joyce struggled to secure a senior game at the Saints under Brett Ratten, finding himself behind the likes of Dougal Howard, Cal Wilkie and Josh Battle, the former hurling star produced a strong season for Sandringham in the VFL having already attracted some interest from Gold Coast in 2021.
If Joyce earns another shot in Queensland, Brisbane will have three Irishmen at the club in 2023, with Dublin product James Madden also on the list.
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Geelong currently has three players from Ireland after Oisin Mullin joined premiership duo Zach Tuohy and Mark O'Connor, while Conor Nash and Fionn O'Hara are at Hawthorn, Cian McBride at Essendon and Callum Brown is still with GWS.
The pre-season supplemental selection period closes on February 15.
