Both sides keen to persist with series

GAELIC GAMES/International Rules/News: Officials in both the GAA and AFL have rushed to promote the benefits of the International Rules series in the wake of Ireland's unprecedented 50-point series win clinched last Sunday.

A new Irish-Australian committee is to meet annually from next spring to discuss developments in the hybrid game said GAA president Sean Kelly yesterday. The two organisations met last Friday and agreed not to alter any of the rules currently in place ahead of next year's tests in Australia.

Kelly felt that the Australians' decent showing last Sunday ensured the annual fixture does not need to come under any undue scrutiny.

"If we had hammered them again it would have been a setback for the series. They proved when their preparation is right there is a bright future," said Kelly. "You can lay a bet right now that it won't be a similar result next year. It sets things up for a serious contest next year."

Kelly did confirm that one of the home tests, from 2006 and beyond, would be at a provincial venue. They hoped to play a test at Casement Park in Belfast this year but the plan was scrapped after funding promised by the British government failed to materialise. The inferior facilities of the ground, in comparison to Croke Park, also hindered the move.

He put the overwhelming victory margin down to a combination of Australia's preparation and the more professional approach being adopted by elite Gaelic footballers.

"Ireland having a manager free from intercounty duties meant there was no need for trial matches as he had seen all the players during the championship and knew the type of football he wanted to play. Whereas for the Australians, the tour was so short. Sure they flew out this morning (Monday). When we go down there we give it total commitment until the two tests are out of the way. Then we let our hair down for four or five days.

"The fitness levels of the Irish was also something they hadn't expected," continued Kelly. "But due to the advancement in sports science and training methods our players can now last the pace and take the physical tactics, not dirty, but knocks handed out."

The new committee will also discuss moves towards adopting a third test. It still meets with several obstacles, namely the short AFL off-season and the physical demands the extra game would place on the amateur Irish. Manager Pete McGrath, whose focus switches to his club Cooley Kickhams for their Louth division one league final against Glide Rangers this weekend, points out some problems here.

"Three tests, but still counting the overall aggregate would be okay," he said. "But if it's done per game and one team wins the first and second, the third becomes a lame duck. Also, we would require a bigger panel of players due to the difficulties of increased injuries."

In the wake of the first test the whole concept received heavy criticism from several Australian columnists. Caroline Wilson in the Victoria-based newspaper The Age described the absence of 17 All-Australian players as particularly galling: "These matches can never be taken seriously as true internationals when the players clearly do not rate it highly enough to return to the team year after year," she wrote.

This can be countered by constant complaints from Australian managements over the years with having to pick All-Australians (their All Stars) as opposed to players more suited to the style of this game.

Also, media outlets on either side of the world splashed around the term junket, while late-night drinking session were also mentioned. Australians against the whole 20-year experiment acquired a week-long carte blanche when their side flopped so miserably in game one.

"What a difference a thrashing makes. Not only were the Australians humiliated a week ago by the Irish amateurs, the entire series - no, the overall concept - has been caned. Much of the criticism has been justified," added Wilson.

However, soundings from the Aussie players, management and chief executive Andrew Demetriou are that they are keen to continue.

"I wouldn't underestimate the desire of the players to play. There are players who I know really want to play and others who desperately want to but are injured. There are others who are discouraged from playing and that's what we have to address," said Demetriou.

Australian captain James Hird refused to make excuses for his team's poor showing in the series and that included any reference to the current rules, especially changing to the oval ball used in the AFL.

"If we used the oval ball it would be no contest. We've been brought up with that ball our whole lives. It's very hard to kick and hard to learn. I think the round ball is the way to go. We've lost this year but won the previous two tests."

It will take another such fold-up from Australia before the series is really under threat. Judging by their sheer stubborn nature last Sunday they will not allow this to occur.