World Footy News

International Rules - A Fifty Year Tradition and the cynics of the press

It is now over 50 years since Harry Beitzel took the Galahs to Ireland and New York, and since they defeated one of the top GAA teams at their own game, in the biggest shock to hit Gaelic football in a long while.

Every few years we have had series, playing exciting versions of the hybrid game, International Rules, which combines Aussie Rules with Gaelic football. The next instalment begins tonight. It is an invented game, but then so is all modern sport. It changes, but then so does all modern sport.

At times, there have been clashes of cultures (the Australians hate elbows and ankle taps, the Irish are used to a game less physical than AFL level Australian Football).

There has also been the Mad Monday phenomenon, where players let themselves go, after a season of restrictions and corporate culture.

That was also made possible by the fact that misbehaviour did not lead to suspensions.

That has all changed.

Except, the media pack sometimes show the lack of vision which Ron Barassi and others lamented as early as 1967.

The Age today gave the Subiaco match tonight a mere 25 lines and the teams... radio sports jocks and TV guide commentators either say nothing or remark on possible biffo...

Perhaps that is why journalists are sometimes in need of distance vision glasses.

With a new approach by both coaches (Michael Malthouse and Sean Boylan), it may be that the 30,000 crowd at Subiaco and the TV viewers will enjoy a great match.

As many international footy followers have remarked, there are lots of variations on our game.

Let us celebrate them all.