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McDonald pictured at the All-Ireland Final last month. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
From The 42New Beginnings
Mayo's Kobe McDonald begins Aussie Rules journey at St Kilda
The 18-year-old spent his first day at the Melbourne club on Friday.
ALL-IRELAND WINNER KOBE McDonald has arrived in Australia to begin his time with St Kilda.
The 18-year-old spent his first day at the Melbourne club on Friday.
From Ireland to Australia.
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) August 7, 2026
Kobe McDonald has arrived at St Kilda.
📝 https://t.co/CvPt1U3Fxm pic.twitter.com/t1bXlZlUpp
In an interview with the club’s media team, St Kilda General Manager of Football Lenny Hayes said: “Everyone at the club was certainly invested in following Kobe’s journey through the GAA finals.”
“The scenes when Mayo won the All-Ireland Championship were incredible to watch from afar, and we’re thrilled for Kobe that he was able to bring so much joy to his county.
“Our expectations for Kobe in the short term are quite modest. The priority is helping him settle into Melbourne, build strong relationships at the club and give him the time and support to adapt to a completely new sport.
“We’re excited by the attributes he brings, but we also recognise the transition from Gaelic football to AFL takes time.
“We’ll be patient and allow him to gradually integrate into our program.”
McDonald is one of the club’s three Irish talents, joining Liam O’Connell and Eamonn Armstrong.
Written by Gareth Lyons and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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