Paraic Duffy hopes international rules will be played next year

GAA director general Paraic Duffy has expressed support for abolishing the gap year in international rules and hosting a return series with Australia in Croke Park in 12 months' time.

Mr Duffy met with his Australian counterpart, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan on Saturday night after the test in Perth to discuss the future of the internationals after a number of years in which their appeal has waned with both the public and players especially in Australia.

Twenty-fifteen had been scheduled as a gap year but after the success of the weekend’s test - a turn-out of the AFL’s best players and a near-capacity crowd of 38,262 - both sides are keen to take the next steps in further securing the series’ future.

“This is the end of a cycle now,” Mr Duffy told media in Perth.

“We had to go back to Central Council when this series was over to see where we’re going but I think after yesterday it’s a much easier discussion than it would have been after last year.”

Asked would the proposal be for one test in line with this year’s reduction from the previous scheduling of two matches per series, the DG said that no decision had yet been made on that.

"No, not necessarily. It could be two games but looking at the experience of yesterday when they really marketed the game well it worked very well and maybe, if we had one game in Ireland next year when you threw everything into it in Croke Park I think after yesterday you could be back to the days of full houses.

“But no, we didn’t make any decision (on the number of tests) but broadly speaking we’re all very positive about it and had very discussions with Gill and they’re very positive about wanting to come to Ireland next year. We want it to happen but we have to get clearance from Central Council.”