BRISBANE have plucked another rising talent from the Emerald Island, signing Ulster speedster Niall McKeever to a two-year-deal.

It was struck on the weekend when Brisbane football manager Graeme Allan dropped by his home north of Belfast with a contract, some Lions gear and a couple of Sherrins with which to hone his skills.

Most players are first invited out on a trial basis, but McKeever has inked a two-year-deal as an international rookie and will join his teammates when they reconvene for the 2010 pre-season in November.

The 198cm, 95kg 20-year-old has caught the eye of several AFL clubs, having been a standout at player agent Ricky Nixon's talent identification camp at Mayo, the home county of future teammate Pearce Hanley.

He missed out on the International Rules series as a minor because the annual cross-code clash was cancelled, but would be on track for senior selection if he were available the next time the series was played.

McKeever will earn a minimum of $120,000 in the two years and more if he is elevated on to the senior list and starts to play games.

"I want to challenge myself as a professional sportsman. This has nothing to do with money," he said.

"I want the opportunity to train as a full-time athlete and see how far I can go."

McKeever has become a regular Saturday morning Irish couch potato as the national broadcaster presents a wrap of the previous weekend's AFL action.

On the day Allan visited his home in Portglenone, about 30 minutes north of Belfast, he was buzzing with excitement at Brisbane's round 12 victory over Hawthorn.

He said he first became interested in the game through the exploits of Sydney's Tadgh Kennelly and has followed fellow Ulsterman Martin Clarke's progress closely.

McKeever became a Lions fan when his brother, a recently graduated doctor, spent much of last year on the Gold Coast and started attending Brisbane's games.

His tales of the excitement and atmosphere of the games he relayed back home had McKeever dreaming of an AFL career.

He is also an avid fan of Lions coach Michael Voss and has watched videos of his past games.

"I am delighted. It is such a great opportunity for me to sign with an illustrious club like Brisbane," he said.

Allan said McKeever's greatest challenge was to master the art of kicking but was confident that if he could develop his foot skills he could develop into a good AFL player.

"He has the physical attributes to be a success, he is a good size and is very quick and we believe he could make a key defender," he said. "We've given him a contract, the rest is up to him."

McKeever has been a major driving force behind Antrim's unlikely charge at an Ulster championship.

The Northern Ireland county has been starved of success but is a win away from an Ulster County final against powerhouses Tyronne or Derry.