AFL icons Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin expect their International Rules teammates to embrace the unique chance to represent Australia on foreign soil.
Goodes and Franklin were on Thursday named in the AFL’s 33-man preliminary all-indigenous squad, which will be trimmed by coach Michael O’Loughlin after the grand final to 21 players.
Dwindling crowd numbers, player participation and support for the hybrid game has concerned the AFL, with officials hopeful switching to an all-indigenous team will bring change.
Goodes, who captained Australia’s 2010 touring team that won the series 2-0, is currently in doubt for the remainder of the 2013 AFL season with a knee injury but guaranteed he’d make the trip to Ireland.
The dual Brownlow medallist said the chance to represent both Australia and the indigenous community was something the players would cherish.
“We’ll wear that jersey with a real sense of pride … and it (playing in Ireland) is quite a deafening environment. It’s something you never experience here in Australia,” Goodes said of the Tests in Cavan on October 19 and at Dublin’s Croke Park on October 26.
“Running out to the MCG with almost 100,000 there is pretty amazing.
“…(But) lifting the cup up at Croke Park, close to 80,000 people there … and you’ve got 70,000-plus people cheering against you. It’s quite special.”
Essendon, who on Tuesday were demoted to ninth place as part of AFL sanctions for their supplement program, are the best represented club in the 33-man squad with five players.
Bombers ruckman Paddy Ryder was included alongside teammates Courtenay Dempsey, Alwyn Davey, Leroy Jetta, and Nathan Lovett-Murray.
Hawthorn veteran Shaun Burgoyne, Fremantle gun midfielder Stephen Hill, and Sydney speedster Lewis Jetta were some of the other big names in O’Loughlin’s squad.
Franklin expects all 33 will be desperate to play.
“We’re very confident that all our best players will be available to play for Australia, and why wouldn’t they? It’s going to be an unbelievable experience,” Franklin said.
Indigenous artist Marcus Lee has designed a new playing strip for the series, while Franklin wants the team to perform the pre-match war cry they’ve used in pre-season All Stars clashes.
“The boys absolutely love it. It’s something that brings us all together, so that’ll be a big part of the tour and the boys will be practicing it heaps,” he said.
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