The few remaining hairs on Anthony Tohill’s head were under threat on Thursday as the Ireland coach pondered his team’s so-called advantage with the round ball.
The traditional view of the International Rules Series has been that the Irish are more accustomed to the round ball while the AFL players have an edge in tackling, as it’s not allowed in Gaelic football.
However, Australia have managed to apply such heavy tackling pressure on the Irish that their round-ball skills have been less effective, leading to Australia winning three of the past four series including a 2-0 result in Ireland in 2010.
“At times last year, you would have thought it was the Australians that were used to playing with it,” Tohill said ahead of Friday’s opening match in Melbourne.
“We should be able to kick it better, we should be able to score better than the Australians with the round ball.
“But our players are not used to being put under pressure when they’re disposing of the ball.
“In our game if you touch someone when they’re kicking the ball, that’s a free kick.
“Whereas in this game they’re put under immense physical pressure and even if they don’t make the tackle, it’s the threat of the tackle.
“It (round ball) should be an advantage to us but it’s one we haven’t really been able to exploit due to the way Australia can pressure.
“It’s something we’re trying to work on but we can never replicate in our training sessions the intensity that Australia bring to the game.”
Ireland vice-captain Ciaran McKeever said his men must find a remedy for their wobbly efforts in front of goal.
“Going on last year’s series, I think that in front of nets we let ourselves down and everybody knows we play with a round ball,” he said.
“We got a few behinds, but I think that was just from the case that the boys maybe weren’t used to the tackle.
“We’ve done plenty of (work) on boys getting wrapped as they’re getting ready to shoot.”
Australia coach Rodney Eade insisted the hosts remained wary of Ireland’s round-ball skills.
“As an Australian team we like to put pressure on the opposition. We see that as our competitive advantage,” he said.
“If we don’t do that we won’t win because their skill level is so high.”
Ireland skipper Stephen Cluxton refused to attend Thursday’s press conference.
Tohill says his captain likes to deal with the media in his own way, which basically means not at all.
The Ireland coach has his own concerns, saying Etihad Stadium is a marvellous surface but he’d prefer the roof to be open.
“We’d rather it was howling a gale and pissing from the heavens,” Tohill said.
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