Donegal star Finnbarr Roarty joins AFL side Collingwood on two-year deal

Donegal’s Finnbarr Roarty has signed a two-year deal with Aussie Rules outfit Collingwood.The 2025 Young Footballer of the Year is currently preparing with Naomh Conaill for Sunday’s Donegal SFC final against St Eunan’s.But the 20-year-old is set to become the latest Irish player to pursue an AFL career Down Under after signing for Collingwood. His departure will be a significant blow to Donegal’s 2027 ambitions. Roarty started all of Donegal’s championship games this summer, building on a remarkable debut season in 2025 when he finished as an All Star defender and picked up the Young Footballer of the Year accolade – only the third Donegal player to win that prestigious award after Michael Murphy and Ryan McHugh.READ MOREAmong the nominees for this season’s Young Footballer of the Year award is Mayo’s Kobe McDonald, who has already signed for St Kilda in Australia.Oisín Mullin, Young Footballer of the Year in 2020 and 2021, is currently playing AFL with Geelong.Roarty spent much of the summer playing football in the United States, where he helped the Pádraig Pearse club win the Chicago senior football championship.But he has since returned to Ireland where he has played a leading role in guiding Naomh Conaill back to the Donegal decider with the Glenties side are aiming for back-to-back titles.Roarty will not be the first Irish player on Collingwood’s books, with Down’s Martin Clarke, Derry’s Anton Tohill and Cork’s Mark Keane all having spells with the Melbourne-based club.