Roscommon's Daire Cregg reflects on turning down AFL move

Michael Bolton

Roscommon forward Daire Cregg says his family was one of the key reasons for turning down a move to the Australian Football League (AFL).

Cregg declined an offer from AFL side Carlton last summer, after once again impressing for Davy Burke's side last season.

Despite being only 21, Cregg is regarded as one of the rising stars of Gaelic football, and his talents have caught the attention of admirers worldwide.

While the professional aspect of the AFL was tempting, Cregg admits he never dreamed of playing in Australia.

"I didn't grow up dreaming of playing AFL; I grew up dreaming of playing for Roscommon, and that was the big thing for me," he said.

"The professional draw was definitely something to think about, but as bad as it sounds, it's hard to beat driving up in the rain to Kiltoom or wherever we are training.

"You’re sitting with a couple of the lads in the car, having the craic—it’s hard to beat that.

"You have Enda and Donie Smith going around the club when I was a young fella, and Sean Purcell and David Casey playing for Boyle and Roscommon. They were my heroes.

"That was always something I wanted to do. I didn’t grow up dreaming of playing AFL; that was the big thing for me.

"We have a very close family here at home. There’s the agricultural side of things, my girlfriend too—all of that played a part in the decision-making process."

Turning Down the AFL Opportunity

Despite declining trials with Carlton, Cregg was still offered the chance to make the move. While he turned it down, the notice gave him confidence for the rest of the season. He is also mindful of how challenging such a move can be.

"We were asked to go to trials, but we were playing Mayo in the championship in a couple of weeks, so I turned it down. I had a look one of the days, but I didn’t trial," he explained.

"The offer came the day after the Mayo game. It came out of the blue, to be honest. I was delighted they saw something in me—it gave me a bit of confidence in myself.

"It was good to have a chat with them and see what life is like out there. I know there are lads who have gone out there and done very well, but there are some who haven’t had the same success.

"Did they miss out on a few years of their prime at home? Possibly."

Focusing on the Sigerson Cup

Cregg now shifts his attention to helping UCD go one step further in the Sigerson Cup this season, after falling short in last year’s final against Ulster University.

Despite his best efforts, UCD came up short, but in a team filled with inter-county experience, Cregg hopes they can use that to their advantage and start 2025 with silverware.

"There are a lot of county games played between the 30 lads on our panel. There is definitely that experience and managing it," he said.

"The problem comes when you have lads on your Sigerson team who are also trying to break into the 30 or 35 of their county panel.

"They are probably under pressure from the county panels to be at training every day, and it’s pressure they often put on themselves."