Emerging Tyrone star leaving AFL door ajar amid interest from down under
McElholm starred as Tyrone retained the Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland under-20 title last month and was named Footballer of the Year for the competition today, while he has also been featuring regularly for the senior side this season, largely off the bench.
The 19-year-old was on trial with AFL club Fremantle Dockers last year and while contact has cooled somewhat in the meantime, he's not closing any doors.
He said: 'If the opportunity came, I'd definitely look into it, because I was out twice and really enjoyed it out there. Really enjoyed the whole experience.
'But just for the meantime, the focus is on Tyrone and what happens there.'
He added: 'They give me a few balls actually saying, 'Just do as much skills work as you can with them'. But that was probably more closer to when I went out last year. I was practising a lot with it.
'If I'd seen it at the house, I'd probably bate it about for a while. But no, that's nothing I'm focused on.'
His fellow countyman Conor McKenna, an All-Ireland winner in 2021, joined an elite group of Irish players to have won an AFL Premiership last year as Essendon went all the way and there has been contact between the two.
'Just when I was out last year, he was texting me, saying enjoy the whole experience and gave
me a few tips. Maybe if the opportunity does arise to let him know, he'll give me a few tips and stuff. But no, he was just basically keeping me right.'
With Tyrone having won three of the last four All-Ireland under-20 titles, a bright future beckons for them at senior level, something that would be difficult for the youngster to leave behind.
'Yeah, it definitely would. It wouldn't be a straightforward decision. I'd obviously have to think about it and stuff.
'But no, I just really enjoyed the opportunity and obviously if things weren't going well you're always a flight away from home.'
In the meantime, Tyrone have a crunch All-Ireland series Group 1 tie with Cavan on Sunday at Brewster Park, where they need a result to progress to the knockout stages, while a win could potentially see them straight through to a quarter-final.
Tyrone haven't lost to Cavan in the Championship since 1983 and have already inflicted a seven-point defeat on them in this year's Ulster Championship.
McElholm added: 'They're going to be so up for it. It's just that they're not going to want the same result as what happened that day in Healy Park.
'They're just going to do everything in their power to make it as close as possible. They're going to do whatever they can to get over the line.
'So it is psychologically difficult. You have to prepare for the game the way you prepared for them in the championship. I think we're all looking forward to it. There's a good buzz around.'
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