Big Kobe McDonald update indicates how long he’ll be in Australia

Well there goes that dream....

His rise has been so meteoric that there was plenty of speculation over the possibility of a wealthy Mayo donor coming in and stumping up some money to entice him to stay in the GAA.

However, reports from Down Under have said that the teenager will move over next month and will be joined by his family, who are relocating to Australia, suggesting that he is in it for the long haul.

The official AFL website said: "McDonald is set to move to Melbourne in the coming weeks and will be joined by his parents, who are understood to be relocating with the teenager.

"Kobe's father, Ciaran, was one of the finest Gaelic Footballers of his generation and represented Ireland in the 2005 International Rules series against Australia."

They also reported that the Crossmolina man was watched by St Kilda's head of talent and acquisition Graeme Allan, in Sunday's All-Ireland final.

Speaking on the Sunday Game's highlights show, McDonald detailed the initial offer to come and play with Mayo.

He said: "There was a phone call with me and my dad at the start, maybe December time, just with the offer to come in.

"Then we were obviously talking at home about how difficult that would be with school or whatever. But it's something I really wanted to do since I was knee high.

"And to get that chance this year, I could never turn it down.

"That's what I signed up for at the start.

"I knew what it would be and knew the outcome we wanted at the end of the year. And I'm just so happy that it came true."