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A throwaway line from Geelong’s James Kelly may have provided the best indication yet of how seriously AFL players take International Rules.
And just how worried organisers should be about the hybrid game’s future.
Asked if Australia could convince AFL stars to represent their country after a no-name national team was swept 2-0 by Ireland, Kelly at least gave an honest answer.
Instead of pushing the merits of the series, the triple premiership player reckoned more would get on board once the series returned to Ireland in 2013 – because they could visit notorious Dublin nightclub Copper Face Jacks.
“It would probably make it a bit easier if it’s in Ireland – the boys get a bit of a trip over there and get to go to Copper Face Jacks,” he said.
But Kelly added: “I think maybe it’s just the way it worked out this year with a few guys with operations and injuries.
“But hopefully some of the guys see that we didn’t perform that well (this year) and want to put their hand up in a couple of years’ time.”
Critics of the series again sharpened their knives after only two All-Australians made themselves available this year, ensuring a national squad featuring 16 debutants.
Plenty more ammunition was provided when low crowds witnessed the Irish amateurs thrash Australia 2-0 and with a superior 65-point aggregate, capped by Friday night’s 21-point victory on the Gold Coast.
Australia didn’t help the cause with aggressive tactics in game two that threatened to erupt into an all-in brawl in the third term – all in front of a clearly unimpressed AFL boss Andrew Demetriou and Irish dignitaries.
Kelly – who received the Jim Stynes Medal as Australia’s best player of the series – then raised eyebrows after the match.
The large Irish media contingent sniggered when Kelly name-checked the nightclub, and asked him how he knew about it.
“Around the traps, mate,” Kelly laughed.
Australian coach Rodney Eade interjected: “Is that (Copper Face Jacks) a good thing?
“Probably not,” Kelly answered.
But Irish coach Anthony Tohill was deadly serious when asked about the spiteful third term in which a total of five yellow cards were handed out.
“For a while I thought it was going to boil over,” he said.
“I am relieved to get all my players off the pitch with no injuries.
“There was a time when I was concerned with how that game was going – I was glad it settled down.”
But Eade played down the heated exchanges.
“Other than pushing and shoving I don’t think there was much in it,” he said.
“There was no going over the top.”
Eade was more forthcoming when asked about the Irish amateurs.
“Professional to me is not measured in money,” he said.
“It’s the way they went about it and the application and I thought they were outstanding.
“It was probably one of the best squads they’ve picked and we need to come up to that level next time.”
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