Colm Begley

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**Colm Begley**
Personal Info
Birth	August 31, 1986 (age 20), Ireland
Recruited from	Laois GAA (Gaelic football)
Height/Weight	186cm / 81kg
Playing Career¹
Debut	Round 20, August 20, 2006, Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast Eagles, at Brisbane Cricket Ground
Team(s)	Brisbane Lions (2006-) 2 games, 0 goals
¹ Statistics to end of R21, 2006 season
Career Highlights
*International Rules Series 2005 (U19), 2006 (representing Ireland)

Colm Begley is a former Irish Gaelic footballer who now plays Australian rules football for the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team.

Begley was scouted by the Lions football manager Graeme Allan, along with several other potential recruits during a training camp in Ireland, after first seeing a near best on ground performance from the young Irishman in the Under 19s International Rules series playing for Ireland against Australia. Among the players targeted by the Lions were Sean Cavanagh, a 22-year-old from the Irish national team who later refused a lucrative offer amongst much public controversy, Brendan Quigley (who returned home after a brief training stint with the Lions), James Coglan and Martin Clarke (who has since signed as a rookie with the Collingwood Football Club). The Lions managed to, however, enticed Begley to move to Australia for a lucrative contract in 2005.

Begley made AFL history with a rapid rise through the ranks of Australian rules football.

Having played his very first game of Australian rules immediately after moving from Ireland to Australia in 2006, in just his third game of Australian football only weeks later, he lined up in the NAB Cup quarter-final. In the game he picked up a total of 6 possessions and one mark whilst playing on Melbourne speedster Aaron Davey.

He was not used again until he was elevated later to the senior list later in the season after the Lions suffered a string of injuries to regular players, though he was retained as a rookie-listed player at the end of the season.

In his senior debut against the West Coast Eagles he gathered 7 possessions, 7 marks and 2 hitouts, lining up on Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd.

Following his good form through the 2007 NAB Cup, Begley was once again elevated onto the Brisbane Lions senior playing list and was soon after named on the interchange bench in the Lions' first game for the season.