But they are able to cherry pick the best talent. They are doing that very thing. It's hardly a controversial or inaccurate statement. The numbers maybe relatively small - three in 2019, six in 2018, one in 2017, four in 2016, four 2015, but more have stayed out there than come back, and many are from counties that can't afford to be losing their best young players. I'm not against players leaving, if they get the chance they should go and develop themselves, their horizons and make a career for themselves if they are good enough. I would love to have if I'd been anywhere good enough. But it does leave a slight sour taste in the mouth, not that the player is leaving, but that a team from the other side of the world can walk in and say, "we've got this now, thanks for all your effort."
How is it exaggerating their fitness or skill level? That's what's making them stand out and making them attractive prospects. They are hardly signing Conor McKenna, Conor Glass, Mark O'Connor or anyone else cause they don't think they have serious levels of fitness, speed and skill which they think they can adapt to Aussie Rules.
In your opinion it's a red herring. The question is being asked what can the GAA do about? If your answer is nothing, then I think you're being deliberately obtuse to the question and the issue. I'm sure that the GAA have said "we can't stop you and we can't compete with you being able to offer professional contracts, but since we are doing much of the leg work here and in many ways offering up our best players as a result of our own efforts, what are we getting in return if we are all working in the spirit of co-operation that we say we are?" I don't see it as an irrelevant point to bring up.