After almost two years of waiting, Ultan Kelm has finally got the news he was hoping for after he agreed to join AFL side Fremantle Dockers as a Category B rookie ahead of the 2022 season.

The 21 year old Erne star has been eager to try his hand with the oval ball and was a standout performer and interviewee at the 2019 AFL Europe Combine, impressing with his 2.87 second 20 metres sprint.

Covid put a halt to a move at that stage but Fremantle made their move for the Belleek native recently and he jumped at the chance to make the move down under.

“This last two years there has been so much uncertainty and I kind of knew that at some stage I might get an opportunity but clubs couldn’t make any promises or that to me. I’m just delighted to finally get it sorted,” he said.

“It happened really quickly in the end over this last few weeks. For a while there was nothing really happening but then they reached out to gage my interest and whenever they seen I was interested it all went very smoothly from there,” he added.

Kelm is just waiting for the call now to make the trip to Australia.

“I don’t now yet (when I’ll be gong), I think they want me out there sooner rather than later but I don’t know dates yet as visas have to be sorted and I have to do hotel quarantine when I get out there.”

It may have been a frustrating two years waiting to see if he would eventually get a call but Kelm has tried during that time to become accustomed to the oval ball, having it in his hands whenever possible.

“I have a few Sherrins knocking about here and there has been a few stray kicks over the last few years,” he laughed.

“I’ve just tried to keep the ball in my hands as much as possible. I have one in the house here and I just walk about the house bouncing it to try and get a natural feel for it. You are obviously playing catch up as these boys have grown up with it like I have with an O’Neill’s ball, it is just getting it into your hand as much as possible.”

Former Collingwood and Down star Marty Clarke is one Irishman who successfully transitioned between the sports and he was involved in the Combine back in 2019.

Marty was in around the Combine and he was giving us a rundown of what it was like and he presented it in a very appealing way.

“He loved it there an that’s why he went back.

“I have just been reaching out to Irish guys over there and asking them to give me the rundown on it. It is obviously a massive step and any wee thing that will help, I want to take it on board.”

Kelm remains level headed in terms of expectations and says it will just be about taking it one step at a time when he arrives in Australia.

“It is going to be very difficult, a lot of boys go out there and they don’t make it but you have boys that go out there and do make it.

“I’ll just take it day by day, it will just be small steps and there will be no big plans early on, it is just about getting out there and trying to take on as much information as I can and try and get settled in and hopefully I can give a good first impression. It is about getting to know the basics and we can set more realistic goals further down the line,” he said.

Kelm’s move will be a blow to new Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly who he spoke to before the news became public.

“Kieran was great, he wanted to tell me his plans and what he was thinking and he was very understanding. Fermanagh is in good hands by the sounds of it, Kieran is definitely the right man to take Fermanagh places.”

And he admits he will miss playing football for club and county.

“I grew up playing football and playing with my friends for Belleek and Fermanagh so that will be difficult but I have been looking for this opportunity for two years and I’m just delighted,” he said.