Tommy Walsh Biography

Tommy Walsh has left the Sydney Swans and will return home to Ireland.

Recruited from St Kilda at the end of the 2011 season, Walsh only managed a total of five games across three seasons.

He made his debut in 2012 and played two matches in 2013 before his season was cut short due to a serious hamstring injury.

"To be able to experience professional sport in two great cities with two great clubs, I've met a lot of great people and I'll have friends for the rest of my life over here," Walsh said.

"I'm not sure when, but I'm looking forward to coming back over here already for a holiday a few years down the line and catching up with everyone again."

A serious hamstring injury has Tommy Walsh questioning his playing future and considering a return to Ireland.

"Because it was such a serious injury, your have to prove that your body is still up to playing AFL," Walsh said in an interview with Irish radio station Newstalk.

"If I can get back into the team, then I can start looking at what I'm going to do after the 2014 season. It's up to the club to sit down and talk about it.

"It's definitely an experience I've enjoyed and whether it's time to come home or not, I don't know. It's something I'll look at in the middle of the year and make a decision then."

Tommy Walsh will miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring off the bone against Essendon.

Tommy Walsh makes his AFL debut for Sydney at the SCG with 14 disposals (9 kicks and 5 handballs), 6 marks, 4 tackles and 2 goals in a 101-point win over Melbourne.

Former County Kerry Gaelic footballer Tommy Walsh is set to make his AFL debut with the Swans after two years without a game at St Kilda.

"I suppose at certain stages I thought it was never going to happen, but it's great to get off the mark," Walsh said.

"It's taken an eternity in my mind and I would've loved if it happened a bit quicker, but I'm excited by the opportunity and hoping to make the most of it."

There will be plenty of irony surrounding Tommy Walsh's debut for the Swans against the Saints in the NAB Cup after the forward spent two years on St Kilda's list without managing to get a game.

"I just have to work as hard as I can and get all the structures right and play the way the Swans want me to play so I can put myself up for selection for those AFL games that come around," Walsh said.

"Ever since I was traded all I've been looking forward to is getting into the games. After such a tough pre-season it's nice now to get to the games and use the fitness base you've built up over those few months."

Sydney Swans' latest Irish experiment Tommy Walsh says he's ready to mix it with best.

"We won't know for sure until I actually play, but I do feel ready. It comes from experience and training, you know, you just get more comfortable in every position," Walsh said.

"I don't mind where I play. I just want to play. Obviously you enjoy kicking goals and everything that comes with playing up forward."

St Kilda says it was reluctant to trade Tom Walsh to the Swans.

"The club reluctantly engaged in discussions with the Sydney Swans on the last day of trade week when it was clear that Tommy wouldn't be returning to the Saints," Saints list manager Ameet Bains said.

"The club, and no doubt Saints supporters, are disappointed but every effort was made to convince Tommy to stick around."

St Kilda is set to play young Irish recruit Tommy Walsh in the NAB Cup.

"The coach will make his mind up about that closer to the time, but it would be pretty exciting if we saw Tommy Walsh run out in Round 1 of the NAB Cup," St Kilda football manager Greg Hutchison said.

"He can play at either end of the ground and once he understands the nuances of the game, who knows where he's going to go with it all?"

Sydney Swans defender Tadhg Kennelly says St Kilda's Irish recruit Tommy Walsh has the raw athleticism to match Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke.

"Tommy's a big, strong guy; he's a monster of a guy," Kennelly said.

"He's extremely strong and that's raw, natural strength.

"He would have done a very, very little amount of weights but he's a very explosive type of player, in the build of a Koschitzke or Riewoldt type at St Kilda."