James Madden Biography

James Madden received the ultimate compliment in the player's race following his breakout performance for the Lions against Richmond on Friday night.

Madden left the field after the Lions' 28-point victory and was greeted by AFL Legend Leigh Matthews.

"He said 'well done, James, you'll play a lot of games of AFL'. It didn't really hit me until the next day when I thought about what he said. To come from someone like that it was pretty special," Madden said.

"Before I came over here I didn't know too much about Leigh, as I didn't watch AFL, but after being here for three years I know how big a name he is in the sport, so it was incredibly special."

James Madden makes his AFL debut for Brisbane at the Gabba with 11 disposals (4 kicks and 7 handballs) and 2 tackles in a 49-point win over Port Adelaide.

Six players in Ireland will return to Australia this weekend to resume their AFL careers after winning visa approval to re-enter the country.

Collingwood pair Mark Keane and Anton Tohill, Essendon duo Cian McBride and Ross McQuillan, Brisbane's James Madden, and Greater Western Sydney's Callum Brown are all set to jet back to Australia on Saturday.

The group headed back to Ireland once the AFL announced its shutdown plans in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Luke Hodge is awarded the Madden Medal for his glittering career and off-field contribution.

The award was presented to Hodge at the AFLPA season launch in Richmond, recognizing a recently retired player who has "best demonstrated on-field excellence, personal development, and growth, as well as community spirit over the course of his playing career".

"It's a great honour to win this award joining legends of the game like Riewoldt, Judd and Harvey and to be recognised for not only on-field efforts but also off-field contributions," Hodge said.

"As AFL players, we spend every moment trying to be better athletes and players but we also give a lot back to the community while trying to grow as people, so it's humbling to be recognised for that."

James Madden commits to joining the Lions' list in the 2018 NAB AFL Rookie Draft on a two-year deal as an international selection and be eligible to play in 2019.

"James was at the AFL Academy trip in Florida," Lions national recruiting manager Steve Conole said.

"There was a group of them, but he was athletically the best of them out there and he took everyone's eye."

Brisbane is leading a busy race to sign coveted Gaelic football prospect James Madden.

The Lions have already visited Madden and his family in Dublin and put a contract offer in front of him, but are not the only AFL club trying to secure his services.