Setanta O'hAilpin Biography

GWS delist five players including Setanta O'hAilpin, Bret Thornton, Gerald Ugle, Josh Growden and rookie-listed New South Welshman Joe Redfern.

"I want to thank all these players for their contribution to the club and wish them all the very best for the future," GWS football manager Graeme Allan said in a statement.

Setanta O'hAilpin says he is pushing for a round one return as he completes his recovery from a knee reconstruction.

"I'm about four weeks ahead of schedule, which is really pleasing," O'hAilpin said.

"I'm on a protocol, so to speak, so on the weekend I played in the reserves and played over two and a half quarters so this week I'm going to play again and hopefully get three quarters out, and then maybe four.

"Then I hopefully I could be out there for round one, or out there as quick as possible."

Setanta O'hAilpin is counting his blessings as he prepares to extend his career with the Giants after a season-ending knee injury in 2012.

"I definitely had that doubt in my head, thinking this could be it," he said.

"It's not the way I wanted to go out of the game, having done your knee, but if it was meant to be, it was meant to be.

"But the club gave me another opportunity, which I'm very grateful for, and hopefully I can repay that faith."

Setanta O'hAilpin will undergo a traditional knee reconstruction in a cruel end to his only contracted season at the Giants.

"It is a cruel blow for Setanta after just one game with the Giants and we wish him all the best with his recovery," GWS football manager Graeme Allan said.

"He has been a great influence on our young playing list since he joined the club and we look forward to his continued presence around the club over the rest of this season as he undergoes rehabilitation."

GWS confirm Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and is likely to be out for the season.

"Now our focus is on getting the best advice we can for Setanta in order to decide how we are going to treat his injury," GWS head of sports science John Quinn said.

"We have had some preliminary discussions with a surgeon today and will have some more consultations tomorrow. From there Setanta and his surgeon will need to decide what is best for him and his future."

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy says Setanta O'hAilpin's season appears over after he suffered an ACL injury, having to leave the ground after kicking two goals and being a focal point up forward for the giants against his old club, Carlton.

"He's gone to a hospital to have a scan and they think it's an ACL joint," Sheedy said.

"It's very awkward for Setanta because he was looking forward to playing against Carlton and he was giving us a really good contest up there.

"It was pretty handy for him to play well and give him some belief that he still has a career. But as for a result, we don't know yet."

Setanta O'hAilpin says he considers Greater Western Sydney a home of sorts.

"I was born at Bankstown General Hospital and spent my first five years living here," O'hAilpin said.

"There were five kids all in a two-bedroom house at Greenacre. I'm also of Islander descent, being Fijian and Samoan, and a lot of people don't know I was born here before I headed to Ireland when I was five. To come full circle now will be a great experience."

Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin plans on making the most of the lifeline thrown to him by Greater Western Sydney.

"I was excited to get another opportunity, especially at a new club," O'hAilpin said.

"I was confident in getting picked up, but I didn't know who it was going to be. GWS really seemed keen, so I was very happy. You don't get many opportunities like this."

Delisted forward Setanta O'hAilpin says he believes he is still improving and will be an asset to the club that picks him up in the draft.

"It's taken me eight years and I've still got a lot of learning to do. I feel like I can improve and in terms of my body I feel like I could play the next three or four years," O'hAilpin told the Herald Sun.

"Every year I've been improving, so that's a good thing to take out of it. I feel like I have got a lot to offer."

Delisted Carlton utility Setanta O'hAilpin will enter next month's draft confident he still has plenty to offer.

"Setanta is very matter-of-fact about it. That's what happens, we deal with it and we look at our opportunities," O'hAilpin's manager Michael Quinlan said.

"We definitely feel he's got plenty more to offer and even more development left in his game. We haven't got a bloke who is shattered, thinking his career is over. We're looking at him continuing for sure."

After failing to find a new home during Trade Week, forward Setanta O'hAilpin has been delisted by Carlton.

"The AFL rules required us to make one more change to our playing list prior to the list lodgement on October 31st to ensure we have the minimum selections in the 2011 national draft," Carlton chief executive Greg Swann.

"Setanta and Paul Bower were the two players out of contract and after a lengthy meeting this morning we made this tough decision. We certainly wish Setanta the very best and I know his enthusiasm will be missed around the Carlton Football Club."

Carlton coach Brett Ratten says Setanta O'hAilpin could be the surprise solution to the power forward vacancy left by Brendan Fevola after the Irish recruit booted five goals in a loss to Collingwood.

"It was really pleasing for the big fella to get amongst the goals. He led at the ball marked the ball strongly today and made the most of his opportunities," Ratten said.

Setanta O'hAilpin is making the difference as a forward for the Blues after kicking 4.3 against Fremantle at Subiaco.

"I just think he gives us really good versatility in the forward line, in that if you put a big bloke on him, he marks the ball OK, but he's better at ground level than most big blokes, so if the ball hits the deck sometimes he can be too nimble for a centre half-back," Blues assistant coach Matthew Lappin said.

"That comes from his hurling days, when you've got to bend over and pick the ball up and whack it 100 metres while some bloke's hitting you with a stick. He's been getting better forward each week, and he's really lively. I think what he brings to our forward line is a bit of an `X factor'.''

Hawthorn's Simon Taylor successfully challenges his two-match suspension at the AFL Tribunal and is cleared of rough conduct against Carlton's Setanta O'hAilpin.

John Anthony and Simon Taylor face time on the sidelines for on-field indisgretions.

Anthony was offered a week for headbutting Kangaroo Scott Thompson in the groin while Taylor has been handed a two-match ban for rough conduct against Carlton's Setanta O'hAilpin.

Setanta O'hAilpin is finally back in the AFL after his infamous pre-season brain explosion that resulted in a fiery clash with teammate Cameron Cloke.

Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin is back in the conversation for inclusion in the Blues side for this weekend.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten says Setanta O'hAilpin is a chance to play against Essendon, two months after a club suspension.

Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin may return to shore up an injury-weakened backline against Essendon, the club says.

A show of support from Setanta O'hAilpin's teammates has ensured his seamless return to Carlton, 11 days after he floored teammate Cameron Cloke.

Setanta O'hAilpin has trained at Visy Park for the first time since his astonishing assault on teammate Cameron Cloke.

Setanta O'hAilpin is officially been welcomed back at Carlton, less than a fortnight after his brain snap.

A meeting with Carlton sports psychologist Michael Martin today is expected to pave the way for Setanta O'hAilpin's midweek return to Visy Park.

Setanta O'hAilpin was a notable absentee from Carlton's family day today but coach Brett Ratten says his punishment should soon be over.

Setanta O'hAilpin's attack on Carlton teammate Cameron Cloke won't spell the end of his Blues career.

Carlton will not decide whether to take further action against O'hAilpin until the AFL's judiciary deals with him.

Carlton's Setanta O'hAilpin has been suspended by the AFL for four games.

Cameron Cloke says he holds no grudge against teammate Setanta O'hAilpin despite the Irishman's attack on him in Friday's intra-club match.

Setanta O'hAilpin is suspended indefinitely for attack on Cameron Cloke and Andrew Carazzo breaks his arm in intraclub match.

Carlton has told troubled Irishman Setanta O'hAiplin he may have played his last game of football after he turned on Cameron Cloke.