
GAA
Share
Published 10:03 29 Jul 2026 BST
Updated 10:04 29 Jul 2026 BST

In the end, no wealthy Mayo businessman stepped in to offer Kobe McDonald life-changing amounts of cash to keep the young star from going through with his move to the AFL.
The Crossmolina man is heading Down Under with his family next month, to start his career with Melbourne side St Kilda.
And, as Mayo manager Andy Moran explained, it is not just about the money, but being in a professional sporting environment.
In the long run it may even benefit Mayo, if McDonald was to return to GAA at some point in the future.
But how much is he actually set to earn in his new profession?
He will be on a Category B rookie deal, which is a base payment of roughly AUS$58,000 (€35,337).
Players also receive around AUS$4,000 (€2,437) per senior appearance, while they can also earn up to AUS$12,000 in bonuses.
After a player's third year at a club, they guarantee a salary of at least AUS$155,000 (€94,435).
The highest paid player in the league is Richmond’s Tom Lynch, who received around AUS$1.5m (€913890).
Explore more on these topics:

Measures being taken by GAA to stem the flow of departures to the AFL
Wise moves. There are bittersweet feelings after Mayo’s All-Ireland triumph, not just for supporters of the Green and Red, but GAA fans in general. The game is losing one its great talents in Kobe McDonald, as he departs next month to play in the AFL with St Kilda. In the past, Mayo have lost some […]
GAA
2h
Why Andy Moran and Roscommon town support Mayo
Fascinating! Andy Moran is as proud a Ballaghaderreen man as you will find, after growing up in the north Roscommon town, situated just across the border from Mayo. But why did the current Mayo boss, and iconic player for the Green and Red, tog out for one of the Rossies’ fiercest Connacht rivals? The answer […]
GAA
5h
GAA
Big Kobe McDonald update indicates how long he’ll be in Australia
GAA