Colm Begley

Begley played in only one of the 22 matches of the 2009 AFL season home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals, winning the club’s third minor premiership.

After the 2009 AFL season, Begley retired from the AFL, announcing his desire to return to Ireland.

Begley represented Ireland in the senior 2008 International Rules Series with rumours of his delisting circulating; many commentators claimed that he was playing for his career. During this time he said that if his AFL career was over he would return to play Gaelic football with Laois. He appeared in both matches in the series, which Ireland won.

In the hope that he would be redrafted, Begley trained with Collingwood prior to the 2008 AFL Draft. He was eventually selected by St Kilda at pick 83.

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. He was soon playing regularly for the Lions. Begley was named the club's Rookie Of The Year in 2007. His rise after such a short time playing the sport was described as 'remarkable'. However, Brisbane opted not to offer him a new contract for the 2009 season following an injury ravaged 2008 which restricted him to only eight appearances.

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

Begley is currently playing for Dublin side Parnells and has returned to inter-county football with his native Laois. Begley has represented his country in the International Rules Series on no less than 12 occasions; in 2006 (2 test matches), 2008 (2 test matches), 2010 (2 test matches), 2011 (2 test matches), 2013 (2 test matches), 2014 (1 test match) and 2015 (1 test match). He is one of only six players (all Irish) to have played 12 or more games in the series and he is one of only two players to have won nine tests (along with Seán Marty Lockhart of Derry).

Begley was scouted by the Lions football manager Graeme Allan, along with several other potential recruits during a training camp in Ireland, having previously witnessed a near best on ground performance from the young Irishman in the Under 19s International Rules series playing for Ireland against Australia. Begley was later persuaded to move to Australia as a rookie listed professional Australian rules footballer in 2005.

Colm Begley (born 31 August 1986) is an Irish Gaelic football player. He has also played Australian rules football for the St Kilda Football Club and the Brisbane Lions of the Australian Football League (AFL). Colm played a crucial part in Stradbally's Laois championship title win stopping Portlaoise going for their 10 in a row title when a Jody Dillon last minute goal beat Graham Brody who could only watch with disbelief.