Geelong skipper Joel Selwood is facing a possible AFL suspension after being black carded during Australia’s 53-50 win over Ireland in Saturday night’s International Rules clash in Perth.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Australia 0.15.8 (53)
Ireland 2.10.8 (50)
The Aussies and the Irish will meet in Perth to settle the 2017 International Rules Series, with Australia holding a ten-point advantage coming into the match. Join The Roar for a live blog of the match at Domain Stadium on Saturday night, starting from 7:45pm AEDT.
Australia got the series off to a good start last week at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, with a pair of goals – one from Nat Fyfe and one from Luke Shuey – making the difference between the two teams, as the AFL representatives came away with a ten-point win.
Fyfe was clearly Australia’s best player on the day, his goal probably the most rousing moment of the match and he made a consistent impact both through the middle of the ground and on the scoreboard.
Brendon Goddard was also prominent in the match as Australia’s new goalkeeper. Although he did let a goal through, his willingness to play in attacking style set up many of Australia’s attacking thrusts, even if it occasionally left him out of position when the ball came close to goal.
The news was not so good for Scott Pendlebury and, on the opposite site of the teamsheet, Pearce Hanley, who both suffered hand injuries. Neither will play in this match and they are likely to have interrupted pre-seasons.
For the visiting Irish team, Donegal’s Michael Murphy and Ulster’s Conor McManus had the biggest impact of the lot, regularly troubling the scoreboard.
Ireland’s class up forward was key to keeping them in the game – unlike the Australians, they were able to convert most of their shots into overs, while the home side piled on the behinds.
However while there’s a chance for them to recover some pride with a win in this game, if they’re going to make up the ten-point deficit that separates them from a series win, they’ll probably need to kick multiple goals.
Join The Roar for a live blog of the match between Australia and Ireland at Domain Stadium on Saturday night, starting from 7:45pm AEDT.
Aligee
Guest
I dont disagree with your last sentence, any game can be exciting, but feel free to point out to me a game that seems to encapsulate such a large range of skills, of course you can point the finger and state - jack of all trades master of none and that may be true, but for mine this game is a winner.
bryan
Guest
You must like living dangerously, Aligee, with your comment comparing International Rules with Soccer! The "true believers" from over on the "Football" tab will be spitting chips. One of their delights is to point at the "funny hybrid game" & snicker. Just don't mention that this "made up" game drew around 30,000 people to Subi , or the steam will come pouring out of their ears. I like Aussie Rules, International Rules, & big "F" Football ( The capitalisation works for the Liberal Party, so why not for "Sokkah"?)___all are great, entertaining games.
Aligee
Guest
Gee it is a entertaining fast paced open game, there is a bit of confusion around the holding the ball, dropping the ball type rule and the uncertainty of the players in certain instances between both sets of rules but as far as everything else goes, this game is as good as any other going around in the world, pretty hard to argue that it is not as good as international rugby, basketball or soccer. A bit of soccer, marking from footy, basketball taps and accurate kicking ete etc As i have suggested previously, this game could easily spread throughout the world, does it matter if it doesn't?, no not really, but it is game that i am sure plenty of people from plenty of countries would enjoy playing and would pick up really easily, far easier than AF. It just seems so much faster, more energetic and a more complete range of skills than soccer.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
Match Report: Australia have defeated Ireland in a 3 point thriller at Subiaco Oval for a clean sweep of the two test series, and to win the Cormac McAnallen Cup by 13 points on aggregate. Australia won the First Test by 10 points, so they could afford to lose by less than 9 points and still win the series, but Australian coach Brad Scott made it clear the Australians would be looking to win the series 2-0. However, it was the Irish who started out on fire, going into the quarter time break with two goals to their name, kicked by Brennan and Barrett inside a minute, to give the Irish a 6 point buffer. Australia came out much harder and faster in the second quarter, but Ireland held them off, and a couple of overs to Conor McManus saw Ireland once more take the ascendancy, and head into the half time break 13 point leaders, and on their way to a series win. Joel Selwood laid a late bump, which saw him sent off for the game, and something that the MRP will look at for the coming AFL season. This led to a scuffle to end things in the second quarter, and that seemed to spark the Australians, who came out with a more aggressive approach, whilst better ball use and fewer errors saw the Australians push Ireland, kicking five overs to only trail by 7 points heading into the final term. In a frantic last quarter of football, Australia took charge, kicking over after over to take the lead, before an over to Grimley saw the Irish take the lead with less than two minutes to play. Eddie Betts, in the dying minute, won himself a free kick, and from 30 out, he slotted the over to tie the scores, before a turnover in the middle of the ground allowed Dayne Zorko to get free and slot the match-winner for Australia in the final seconds of play, sending the Subiaco crowd into raptures. Nat Fyfe was the best for the Australians, winning the Jim Stynes Medal, whilst he was adeptly supported by Dayne Zorko, Luke Shuey, Kade Simpson and Brendon Goddard in goals. For Ireland, their best was Conor McManus, who booted 5 overs in the game, whilst Niall Murphy and Niall Morgan (the Irish goalkeeper) were both fantastic. It marks the first time Australia has won an international rules series since 2010, and is sure to be seen as a success in the eyes of many.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Thanks Dylan Overall a very entertaining game. AUS pressure on the ball the difference but there was not much in it.
Scott
Guest
Bloody oath that was awesome. International rules is alive again. I'll make sure I attend next time it's in Aus
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
END OF THE MATCH: Australia 0.15.8 (53) defeat Ireland 2.10.8 (50) by three points. What a game. What a sport. Brilliant. Australia started off slowly, but they came back hard and fast in that second half, with Zorko, Simpson, Fyfe, Wingard and Shuey leading the way. Dangerfield was also a star, he lead the way in that midfield, incredible stuff from the Australians to win the series 2-0, and on aggregate, by 13 points. First time since 2010 the Australians have won an International Rules series, what a series. Commiserations to the Irish, special mentions to McManus and Murphy, especially the former with 5 overs. Thanks for joining us tonight, been a blast! Match report will be out soon!
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
AUSTRALIA WIN!!!!
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER AUSTRALIA ZORKO!!! KICKS IT!!! AUSSIES IN FRONT!!! Australia 0.15.8 (53) Ireland 2.10.8 (50) Q4 17.32
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER AUSTRALIA BETTS!! Great tackle wins him a free kick, 45 degree angle, 30 out or so, he snaps and bends it back, scores are tied at Subiaco with about a minute left! Australia 0.14.8 (50) Ireland 2.10.8 (50) Q4 17.01
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER IRELAND Grimley kicks an over on the turnover for the Irish, Ireland are three in front!! Australia 0.13.8 (47) Ireland 2.10.8 (50) Q4 16.12
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
BEHIND IRELAND McManus has been on fire tonight, first time he has missed as he puts this wide of the goals. Australia 0.13.8 (47) Ireland 2.9.8 (47) Q4 15.25
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
BEHIND IRELAND Murphy had two players screaming for it, but goes himself and misses to the right. Australia 0.13.8 (47) Ireland 2.9.7 (46) Q4 14.20
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER AUSTRALIA Free kick to Wingard, and right in front of goal, Ben Brown takes the kick, and misses. Australia 0.13.8 (47) Ireland 2.9.6 (45) Q4 13.14
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
Dangerfield and Clarke going at it, headlocks in place as the play goes on. Tuohy megs one of the Aussies, then gets tackled without the ball, and will clear the ball for the Irish.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER AUSTRALIA Shuey marks, on a 90 degree angle, incredibly difficult kick, but he kicks the over!! What a kick, brilliant from Shuey!! Australia 0.13.7 (46) Ireland 2.9.6 (45) Q4 11.19
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
BEHIND IRELAND Smith with the big snap, but they miss out to the right. Australia 0.12.7 (43) Ireland 2.9.6 (45) Q4 10.12
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
MORGAN!! What a save by the Irish goalkeeper, diving full stretch to prevent the goal!
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
OVER AUSTRALIA Australia working the ball around amidst the 'olè' chants, and Neville Jetta gets pinged for three bounces, as you're only allowed to bounce it twice in international rules, Ireland to reset. Ireland go in, and Goddard just gets a finger onto it, knocks it down before the goal and the Aussies clear. Wingard wins the free kick on the counter, goes to Zorko who sells some candy, goes for the over and gets it, beautiful bit of play. Australia 0.12.7 (43) Ireland 2.9.5 (44) Q4 08.33
Art
Guest
Irish ref is so bias