Our International Rules side needs star power
Roar Guru By Redb, 1 Sep 2010 Redb is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Andrew McLeod, International Rules, james hird, Nathan Buckley
From an Australian perspective, the upcoming International Rules series against Ireland needs some serious star power to ensure it does not lose further traction amongst AFL fans.
At its peak in the early 2000s, the International Rules series was able to offer almost full strength Australian teams with stars such James Hird, Nathan Buckley, Andrew McLeod lining up.
The most recent series in 2008 held in Australia lacked the better players in the AFL.
There was no Ablett, Reiwoldt, Judd or Buddy Franklin. Brent Harvey led the charge in a series that saw Ireland win both games played under watered down rules on tackling for the first time.
Harvey had too few star players to help him.
For Australia to be competitive at International Rules, we need the better ball handlers of the likes of midfielders Ablett, Bartel, Hayes, Judd, Cooney and Swan, through to the clever small forwards of the ilk of Rioli, Le Cras, Didak, S Johnson and Varcoe.
Throw in a few talls for a spine, perhaps Franklin, Reiwoldt, Sandilands, Tippett or Hille, and you have the makings of a top team with star power to attract interest.
For extra zip and young talent I’d add Jurrah, S Hill, Morabito, Scully, L Jetta, and Swallow. Malthouse is set to coach again.
The first test will be at Limerick on 23 October, 2010, followed by the second test at Croke Park a week later.
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- AFL, Andrew McLeod, International Rules, james hird, Nathan Buckley
September 1st 2010 @ 7:38am
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Re International Rules.
ol’ mate Kev Sheedy reckons a tri series could be looked at:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/kfcwidsnojgb/rss2/
September 1st 2010 @ 7:52am
Mister Football said | September 1st 2010 @ 7:52am | Report comment
I’m not sure that you can have too many talls in this sort of game – it’s very much a game more suited to the zippier players.
September 1st 2010 @ 8:14am
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Agree to an extent, but I reckon Ireland would struggle with the athleticism and speed of Franklin and the sheer skyscraper that is Aaron Sandilands. What we need are good ball carriers, smart decisions makers and goal freaks. I would add Kieran Jack to that squad as well.
An intersting trend in recent years is to kick goals along the ground in AFL, this will help our players as the scoring system rewards low goal shots.
September 1st 2010 @ 8:40am
pothale said | September 1st 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Australia should pick the best players it can best suited for the Rules series.
If by watered-down rules, you mean rules that allow the kind of bald thuggery that occurred in the previous but one series, forget about it.
And I know the average reaction might be ‘it was just a bit of a stoush’ but I don’t believe that Aussie Rules currently allow the kind of tackles that were made in those previous matches.
I’m curious though about level of interest from AFL fans to watch these matches since presumably they’ll be on at 3 in the morning – how much enthusiasm will they be able to get?
And who is it more important to?
September 1st 2010 @ 8:48am
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
No I dont mean the rough stuff, I do mean the tackling which was watered down – I believe a player cannot be tackled to the ground – that is the instinctive thing to do in AFL.
I think the interest will be there if they get some of aforementioned players in the team. Unless they are night games, it should be televised in OZ at about 11pm.
September 1st 2010 @ 9:23am
Mister Football said | September 1st 2010 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Personally, I’m comfortable with watered down tackling, i.e. no slinging to the ground, etc. – putting pressure on the ball carrier should be sufficient for both sides, sure, the Irish will naturally be more accurate by foot, and are quite quick, the aussies have to overcome that advantage via greater fitness, providing a more physical contest, and closing down players.
As a quid pro quo, I’d like to see a version of the game more akin to aussie rules introduced, using a Sherrin, which could also include watered down tackling rules, and any other modifcations that might suit the Gaelic players – perhaps played on a Gaelic field with Gaelic goals, no behind posts.
Indeed, personally, I’m not a fan of having behind posts in the IR series, and would prefer to use standard Gaelic goals and scoring.
September 1st 2010 @ 10:02am
BigAl said | September 1st 2010 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Sorry Redb . . . but I am just not a fan of this – in fact and concept !
September 1st 2010 @ 10:42am
Midfielder said | September 1st 2010 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Tounge in cheek … 11 players a side.. round ball… proper post… nets behind the posts… no tackling i.e. slinging to the ground… just pressure on the player.. rectangular fields … hearts start pumping… one ref (I think) linesman …. OH OH OH getting excited now..
Getting close mate … almost their … just a couple of more modifications…
September 1st 2010 @ 10:56am
Mister Football said | September 1st 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Nah, the IR form of the game is fast and exciting, where both teams actually try to score and win the game.
September 1st 2010 @ 11:47am
punter said | September 1st 2010 @ 11:47am | Report comment
Ahhh amateur sport, don’t you just love it. How sport should be & was before all the money….
September 1st 2010 @ 12:04pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
I like a game where you can use all 4 limbs. I think the Irish don’t mind it either given the tyranny behind Irish dancing.
September 1st 2010 @ 12:14pm
BigAl said | September 1st 2010 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Actually Red – in Irish dancing, the arms MUST be held ‘firmly, stiffly and straight against the body’ – while the legs wildly jig !
.
.
Scottish dancing allows the arms to be thrown about a bit !
September 1st 2010 @ 12:19pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
That was my point, Irish dancing forced to be 2 limbs only. Get it?
September 1st 2010 @ 2:31pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | September 1st 2010 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Interestingly, in the International Series, when “height restrictions” are placed on what constitutes a goal and there’s a goalkeeper standing in the way …
… Aussie Rules players find it is not so easy to score. Of course, you can also use use hands to carry the ball and shoot in the International Rules version.
Last 8 matches played:
In Eire:
EIR 1-1 AUS, EIR 0-3 AUS; EIR 3-1 AUS; EIR 1-0AUS
In Australia:
AUS 0-3 EIR; AUS 3-4 EIR; AUS 2-3 EIR; AUS 0-0 EIR
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Rules_Series
September 1st 2010 @ 7:23pm
Fez's are cool said | September 1st 2010 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
I find International Rules far more interesting than AFL. Gaelic football is more interesting again.
September 1st 2010 @ 12:44pm
Mega said | September 1st 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
I miss International Rules. Question slightly off topic, is Gaelic played in Australia at all? It’s a great game.
September 1st 2010 @ 1:10pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Not sure Mega. International Rules is played at times with travelling teams so there must some Gaelic footy at local level.
September 1st 2010 @ 1:47pm
Republican said | September 1st 2010 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
Sorry Red but this is like flogging a dead horse.
The hybrid is not embraced by the public other than to fulfil some novel jingoistic cringe, which wore off years ago thank goodness.
Let us put this one to bed once and for all I say.
Mega
Yes it is. The Gaelic Assoc is quite strong here in Oz and has clubs around the country playing both Footy and Hurling.
This is residual of the huge Irish cultural heritage evidenced since colonisation really.
Cheers
September 1st 2010 @ 1:56pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Fair enough its not for everybody, but it certanly isnt dead, the side will be picked post GF and they’re off to the Emerald Isle.
September 1st 2010 @ 4:24pm
beaver fever said | September 1st 2010 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Agree Redb, i went to a match at Subi and liked it, i found there were way less packs (less players) and the gaelic football (because of its shape) seemed to be easier for the players to read and therefore the game seemed to flow better.
But on the other hand, i miss seeing the sherrin, ( dont really like the burley) and the marking and kicking seems to be much better with a Australian football.
International rules is the sort of game IMO that if marketed correctly could become very big, but i am not sure i want to see that.
I think the AFL should focus more on growing Australian football o/s than International rules, which i think they do anyway.
I did hear that Collingwood was going to play a big Irish team at the end of last year ??, in a International rules game , not sure what happened about that …. think it was a big Dublin team ??. There was talk at one stage of bringing the US into a 3 country tourney, as i believe that Gaelic footy is reasonably popular in some parts of the country.
http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100831125016943
I see Sheedy has proposed this …………… IMO it’s stupid, lets just have one australian team.
September 1st 2010 @ 5:38pm
Mister Football said | September 1st 2010 @ 5:38pm | Report comment
It’s certainly fast and open – I’d suggest it’s the fastest form of football (given it’s actually faster than aussie rules).
As entertaining as the game is – the reality is that its a compromise of two different games with their own histories – so it can never amount to anything more than what it is presently.
September 1st 2010 @ 7:31pm
Fez's are cool said | September 1st 2010 @ 7:31pm | Report comment
Soccer slows down where possesion isn’t challenged, but never stops.
AFL isn’t that fast. Its too stop start around marking, but it seems to be a fair mid point between soccer and Rugby Union.
Rugby Union has way too many stopages and the ball spends too much time out of play.
Rugby League is moderately fast – because possession is more highly valued you don’t get as many stoppages as Union, but ever slowing play the balls have been a real plague on the game in recent years.
They all have room for improvement…
September 2nd 2010 @ 7:45am
Redb said | September 2nd 2010 @ 7:45am | Report comment
I prefer the one Australian team.
September 1st 2010 @ 5:29pm
zach said | September 1st 2010 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
The public actually love this game – the crowds have always been huge. The last match played in Ireland (the infamous one) drew the largest crowd ever to a sporting event in Ireland (up to that time).
The trouble is that the AFL wants it to be regarded as a serious competition so that our top players will want to play it, whereas the Irish would prefer it to be an exhibition tournament, in which case the top players won’t go near it.
Our guys took it it too seriously in 2006 and to save the concept the AFL has acceded to the GAA demands.
I think the series will survive, but the public support will take a dive, because not that many are going to fork out for a ticket to see an exhibition game on a regular basis. There has to be some feeling in it.
The trouble is that the Australians confused feeling with going nuts.
September 2nd 2010 @ 4:19am
pothale said | September 2nd 2010 @ 4:19am | Report comment
“The trouble is that the Australians confused feeling with going nuts.”
Lol!! I love that as a summary. By the end, both sides ended up going nuts – with feeling.
September 1st 2010 @ 1:59pm
Art Sapphire said | September 1st 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
They should have tried crossing it with hurling first.
The Aussie player can tackle and the Irish player can use the stick.
That will make it a fairer and more entertaining contest
September 1st 2010 @ 2:00pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
LOL
September 1st 2010 @ 3:29pm
Midfielder said | September 1st 2010 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Art
You already have a cross between ..Hurling & Gaelic it’s the AFL…
September 1st 2010 @ 2:23pm
Republican said | September 1st 2010 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
Art
That could make for a very sadistic spectacle. Japanese tele would lap it up me thinks!
Cheers
September 1st 2010 @ 2:26pm
Redb said | September 1st 2010 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
Off topic!
Dan Hannebury has just been named 2010 Rising Star. Congrats.