World Footy News

Withdrawals through injury, weddings, expectant births and perhaps some long season burnout have changed the character of this year's Australian team for the International Rules series. But maybe that will actually give the Aussies an edge.

Coach Garry Lyon has been talking up the positives, and from a speed point of view they are obvious to see when looking at the list. Tall, slow timber are absent from the squad, athleticism and pace have been Lyon's criteria for selection. The original squad is based on All-Australian seelction for the best Australian Rules side, however International Rules is a somewhat different game.

"It gives us an opportunity then to go and pick players which are ideally suited to playing this game," Lyon said. It will be interesting to see if Lyon is proved right when he predicts this is the best International Rules team Australia will have fielded in the series, when they come up against what is already a very keen and virtually full strength Irish side.

The full article is on the official AFL website.