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Ireland players celebrate their win after the Second Test of the 2008 International Rules Series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. Slattery Images
With the news that the AFL has cancelled this year’s International Rules series with Ireland, maybe it’s time to tell the Irish to finally pickup a Sherrin?
I’ve been a fan of the International Rules series over the last decade, but the last series on home soil in particular has left me flat. I remember the 2003 game at the MCG with 70,000 plus.
It was a fast, action-packed game, full of intensity and little on field violence.
As a result of the on-field trouble between Australian and Ireland since then, though, the GAA forced the AFL into a number of rule changes.
The primary change was to tackling, basically removing it from the game in any form AFL fans are used to. This turned the contest into a merge of soccer and basketball, which for me just doesn’t cut the mustard.
I was a spectator at the last game at the MCG.
With only 40,000 fans, it was apparent to me that the Irish fans were enjoying the game play and obviously the result more than us Aussies. We only just lost, but the game itself was a poor reflection of the 2003 version.
The problem is the round ball in the air.
International Rules is fine near the goal mouth, with the excitement and tense moments it brings footbll style. However, the ball’s flight through the air behaves so erratically it robs the spectacle of high marks and accurate kicks to leading players, which is so much part of the experience of an Aussie Rules game with the Sherrin.
Perhaps the AFL should kill of International Rules for another reason.
The GAA have naturally been very protective of their players and have demonised player agent Ricky Nixon for scouting talent in the emerald isle.
Unhinged from keeping the GAA happy, the AFL would be free to recruit talented Irish kids looking for an experience in the big time of AFL.
Good news for the AFL with the ESPN deal to telecast two to three games in the UK and Ireland. This keeps access to the AFL strong providing an aspirational connection.
Who knows?
After ten years there might be enough Irish players in the AFL to play a Test match with a Sherrin, not the round ball.
The alternative is to treat International Rules as a ‘Rugby Sevens’ type game and play it at the new bubble stadium in Melbourne every two years.
However, I believe there are greater gains to be made from international recruitment and development of niches overseas for Aussies Rules rather than this bastardised version of football and basketball that International Rules has become.
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