Donegal Star Finnbarr Roarty Signs Two-Year AFL Deal With Collingwood
Donegal defender Finnbarr Roarty has signed a two-year rookie contract with Australian Football League club Collingwood, dealing a major blow to his inter-county management team ahead of the 2027 season.
Departure for Melbourne Ahead of the New Season
The 20-year-old is set to jet off to Australia at the end of the month to join the Magpies, who finished in ninth place in last season’s Premiership. Before making the move Down Under, the Glenties native will first turn his focus to Sunday’s Donegal Senior Football Championship final in Ballybofey, where his club Naomh Conaill face St Eunan’s as they chase back-to-back titles. Roarty spent part of the summer playing football in the United States, helping the Pádraig Pearse club win the Chicago senior football championship, before returning to Ireland to guide Naomh Conaill back to the county decider.
Rapid Rise Through the Donegal Ranks
Roarty’s inter-county career experienced a false start in 2024 when manager Jim McGuinness threw the then 17-year-old into the side against Armagh in the Dr McKenna Cup. That appearance breached a rule requiring senior inter-county players to be aged 18 by the start of the calendar year, halting his immediate progression. However, Roarty returned strongly in 2025, starting all of Donegal’s championship matches, winning an Ulster title, and helping the county reach the All-Ireland final. His standout debut season earned him an All-Star award and the 2025 Young Footballer of the Year accolade, making him only the third Donegal player to claim the honor following Michael Murphy and Ryan McHugh.
Donegal star Finnbarr Roarty signs rookie AFL contract at Collingwood https://t.co/bzvNlbiNTO
A Growing Trend of Irish Recruits in the AFL
Collingwood has previously hosted several Irish players, including Down’s Martin Clarke, Derry’s Anton Tohill, and Cork’s Mark Keane. Roarty’s departure follows a broader pattern of young Gaelic football standouts moving to the AFL. Mayo’s Kobe McDonald, nominated for this season’s Young Footballer of the Year after helping Mayo win the All-Ireland title, has signed with St Kilda. Other recent exports include Kerry players Cillian Burke, Rob Monahan, and Ben Murphy, while Oisín Mullin, a two-time Young Footballer of the Year, currently plays for Geelong.
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More on Finnbarr Roarty
Massive story from @FrankCraig13 as Donegal's Finnbarr Roarty becomes the latest GAA star to leave for the AFL. He departs shortly for a two-year rookie contract at Collingwoodhttps://t.co/ddl47y8i3R
Collingwood has signed Irish talent Finnbarr Roarty from Donegal as a category B rookie. 🇮🇪@7AFL @1116sen @7NewsMelbourne