Why International Rules is the black jellybean of sport

Aussie Rebel, If it's something Republican likes, 22k people showing up and handing over their time and money to enjoy an evening of sport is "well supported, and indicative of the community based support and showing the attractiveness of our sport to the communities it represents". If it is something he doesnt like, 22k people showing up and handing over their time and money to enjoy an evening of sport is "a sign of the power of advertising and concentrated marketing to overcome the weak minds of the de-racinated masses"

Francie Of course the Irish deserve plaudits for their win last friday - comprehensively outplayed the australians in every facet of the game. But you will come across two obstacles in finding people willing to talk objectively about it in these sorts of forums: 1. the anti-AFL brigade hates anything the AFL does; and 2. some of the pro-AFL brigade will hate it with almost equal fervour, because it's a bit of a desecration, and I'm sure you come across the same sorts back in Ireland in relation to your own game. At the end of the day, whichever way you look at it, it's pretty diffiuclt trying to pull of this composite rules thing, they've done well to date, but the writing is on the wall I believe.

Republican? All the media reports said 22k attended?

Well said Francie!

I have played Gaelic Football since I was a kid in Ireland and had the opportunity to play a number of competitive games of the compromise code back in the day. I can tell you that it is a alien to us as it is to you. Firstly get rid of the notion that the rectangular pitch is an advantage, it's not. Oval pitch with 18 or a rectangular pitch with 15? No big deal. The simple reason for it is that our stadia and the pitches therein could not be converted to an oval shape. The tackle is singly the biggest head wrecker for Gaelic players adopting to the code. In Gaelic you cannot tackle rugbyesque, in fact you cannot lay a hand on your opponent or pull his jersey. The player must attack the ball. The physical element is shoulder to shoulder and that is why you will see the Irish guys tensing up their shoulders and lining up an opponents shoulder when competing for the ball or readying for a tackle. Therefore it's not in my DNA to 1. tackle AFL style and 2. expect a tackle AFL style. Within gameplay this is the difference between winning and loosing, in my opinion of course. As a rule The Mark is something you can get your head around, catch, stop, take a breather, kick! Stringing Marks together as a tactic in a game strategy is something altogether different. We don't have it in our game. The round ball is the only way the game can be played in the current form as a fast moving spectacle. We actually tried playing alternative quarters with round and oval. The oval ball game was a balls of a thing. We all looked like headless chickens trying to judge the vagaries of the bounce of the ball. If the game was to be played with the oval then the entire rules would need to be looked at including the 6 pointer, or Goal, as we call it. The round ball is easier to judge, easier to bounce and dare I say easier to kick, sure you boys are professional after all! I have read some totally inaccurate comments from lazy journalists that Gaelic football hasn't changed in 100 years. That is complete bollix, the game is constantly changing and improving. Each year experimental rules are tried and tested in early season competitions, including the Mark last year. Playing the compromise rules series over the years has allowed the GAA, the governing body, to try out changes to better our game. The free kick out of the hands as opposed to the ground to speed the game up was adopted because the hybrid game showed the improvement at first hand. As for it's future, well that's anyone's guess. It's interesting to see that this is the third year that the AFL, a professional body, has failed to secure proper sponsorship. As for the whinging, well you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. I had expected some credit from a sports mad country for a bunch of amateur players, an eclectic mix of postmen, farmers, teachers, bricklayers, joiners, accountants, civil servants and more, who ran the legs off AFL professionals.

''My sport of preference is AF, but this game has the capability to be a world wide game, and quickly, but for obvious reasons, neither the GAA or the AFL really have the need, nor want to drive it.'' Keep dreaming...

I heard Stephen Rowe from AA call this game "a black jellybean" I hope that you came up with this term before his lame brain did...

Aussie rebel I don't know that your sentiments are entirely true but if they are it works both ways. The hybrid has been poorly supported for some time - whoever wins or loses. From my perspective, this overly complicated construct called International Rules simply favors the irish persuasion, while compromising the unique skill set that makes our code so attractive. The Irish no doubt feel exactly the same and it is only the minority cringe obsessed with some sort of sudo global status for respective indigenous codes, who continue to shove it down our throats. 12K in Melbourne last week puts any real interest for this IR hard sell into perspective - surely.

I don't think the pitch at AAMI Park is big enough - Gaelic pitches are bigger than soocer and rugby pitches.

Its good to see some AFL fans still take this competition seriously. At best its a novelty game with rules made up as you go along.

Why is it that when Ireland wins There are calls everywhere that the hybrid game is a waste of time? When Australia wins its such a great game and the Aussies have put Ireland to the sword?

AMMI park would have been a better venue, dispite the rain. The square pitch would have been less remote, and 22,000 would no have looked like such a small crowd.

yeah have to agree with that. i'm just kinda confused why we must have this handball rule.

No rule should be changed to the advantage of the Austrlians. Last year we showed if we pick quality players, we will win, it's as simple as that.

It's pretty easy to see why conversion to the Sherrin would result in floggings - all of a sudden, a precise 60m kick can come in to the advantage of a key forward, and there is no way the Irish are going to be able to handle that. At the moment, the ball is coming in all over the shop, and for the most part, it's travelling barely 30m, and the Irish can judge its flight far better than the Australians, so they clear it with ease.

if you change the ball or the ground you ruin the spectacle of the game. international rules is great because it has the physical aspect of afl but also combines the tactical side of gaelic (you can't just smack the ball long everytime, you need to smartly unlock the defence). A conversion to a sherrin is twice as hard to a round ball and changing the ball would just result in floggings from the australians. Top flight players will cope with the conversion to the current form of the game easily enough anyway. In the last series, both Dane Swan and adam goodes incredible displays of skill with the round ball, both off the ground and in hands indicates they both could be a natural gaelic player. Australia just needs to find a good playmaker who can play further up the ground (centre forward?) who can get the ball behind the defensive line like the irish are able to do. TBH if there is any rule that should be changed (scrapped) to give australians more of a chance when it comes to laws, it should be the handball restriction. Ireland get the advantage of the ball of their choice, therefore a compromise should be that australians should be able to play it how they like without being forced to make a risky kick.

When I was a kid the black jelly beans were the ones everyone wanted to eat first.

There is a good argument to be made that only cricket can have a "test", because that form of the game is only played at international level, is the only time that a cricket match goes for 5 days, and it distinguishes itself from the 4, 3, 2, 1 and half day forms of the game. I'm not sure if any other sport has a "test" version that distinguishes itself from the normal rules of the game - one could mount an argument that IR does indeed meet this test - perhaps even more so than cricket.

Interesting, Gaelic fans seem to be saying the opposite, and that the game is to much in favour of AF. Thinking about it, the mark probably does not favour the Australians as much as we think, the Irish are better judges and kicks of the gaelic ball, so therefore should be able to adapt to kicking and marking as good as/or better than the aussies. The ball is the key IMO, played with a Sherrin/burley etc the Aussies would judge, mark, kick, handball much much better, and you would see one almighty flogging. What we really need to hear from is a collective group of footballers who have played both games at the highest, and gauge their opinions, but whenever you read articles about new Irish rookies etc , the shape of the Australian football is the biggest obstacle, not fitness, peripheal vision, teamwork, travel etc. My sport of preference is AF, but this game has the capability to be a world wide game, and quickly, but for obvious reasons, neither the GAA or the AFL really have the need, nor want to drive it.

Very true, and I don't want to sound petty but I think the AFL guys have made a lot more compromise than the Irish in the International Rules mash up. I know theyre not professional and they dont tackle as hard but I think something has to be tweaked to keep it interesting.