World Footy News

The AFL today named a 22-man squad to contest the one-off Test against Ireland in the 2015 Virgin Australia International Rules Series, to be played at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday November 21.

 

Australia regained the Cormac Macanallen Trophy with victory in last November's Test on home soil in Perth and has again named a squad comprised entirely of All Australian players, under the direction of leading coaches Alastair Clarkson, Ross Lyon and Chris Scott.

 

The coaching group of head coach Clarkson and senior assistants Lyon and Scott elected to keep faith with 14 players who were part of last year's victory, while those players from the 2014 Virgin Australia team who were injured or unavailable due to personal commitments were replaced with squad members who were either All Australian selections in 2015, or who had previously been an All Australian player at some point in their careers.

 

The 2015 Virgin Australia International Rules squad is: Eddie Betts (Adelaide Crows), Grant Birchall (Hawthorn), Luke Bruest (Hawthorn), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Cats), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Andrew Gaff (West Coast), Brendon Goddard (Essendon), Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide), Dyson Heppell (Essendon), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn), Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), David Mundy (Fremantle), Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions), Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn), Nick Smith (Sydney Swans), Jake Stringer (Western Bulldogs), Harry Taylor (Geelong Cats), Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide), Easton Wood (Western Bulldogs).

 

“As a proud supporter of the International Rules Series, Virgin Australia congratulates each of the players who have been selected to represent Australia,’’ General Manager Brand and Marketing Michael Scott said.

 

“We wish the team the very best of luck as they face Ireland and hope to be flying the Cormac Macanallen Trophy home with the players after another successful series.”

 

AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan also thanked each player who had made himself available for selection and wished the coaches well for the upcoming tour.

 

“Alastair, Chris and Ross led the side with passion and a strong commitment last year and their efforts, along with the players, played a huge role in rebuilding the interest around the IRS Tests,” McLachlan said.

 

‘I also want to thank again John Borghetti and all of his wonderful staff around the country at Virgin Australia.

 

“As the official airline of the AFL, Virgin Australia has provided incredible support throughout the 2015 AFL season and their passion and commitment to the International Rules Series has been integral in enabling Australia and Ireland to continue to compete against each other,” he said.

 

Gaff, Heppell, Roughead and Stringer are the only members of the squad not to have played against Ireland in an International Rules Test match at some point during their AFL career.

 

Clarkson said the squad represented the best collection of talent the competition could muster for the challenge of playing a different game with a round ball, and winning on foreign soil against an Irish side that would be smarting from last year's result.

 

"The 2014 Test match in Perth was a great highlight, as we brought together the leading players from across our competition in the one side," Clarkson said.

 

"We were able to combine well in a short period and give a great account of ourselves, to win the match, but the challenge will be more difficult again to now go to Ireland and win in front of a capacity crowd at Croke Park.

 

"The playing line-up speaks for itself with the reputations they have established in our game, and we know what to expect in the speed and the skills required to succeed with a round ball under different rules.

 

"On a personal note, it's a great opportunity again to work with the very best coaches in the game in Chris Scott and Ross Lyon and to be able to spend time with the very best players from across the AFL," he said.

 

The team will initially travel to New York in the second week of November for a training camp, including a practice match against a US representative GAA team, before arriving in Dublin in the week of the November 21 match.

 

The squad, which contains four current club captains and one former club captain, will have its leadership named after the players have come together.

 

Player representative details:

 

Eddie Betts - All Australian in 2015. Played IRS in 2010 in Ireland and 2013 in Ireland.

 

Grant Birchall - All Australian in 2012. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Luke Bruest - All Australian in 2014. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Patrick Dangerfield - All Australian in 2012, 2013 and 2015. Played IRS in 2010 in Ireland and 2014.

 

Dustin Fletcher - All Australian in 2000 and 2007. Played IRS in 2005, 2006 in Ireland (captain), 2010 in Ireland and 2014.

 

Andrew Gaff - All Australian in 2015.

 

Brendon Goddard - All Australian in 2009 and 2010. Played IRS in 2006 in Ireland and 2014.

 

Robbie Gray - All Australian in 2014 and 2015. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Dyson Heppell. All Australian in 2014.

 

Luke Hodge - All Australian in 2005, 2008 and 2010. Played IRS in 2005 and 2014.

 

Sam Mitchell - All Australian in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Leigh Montagna - All Australian in 2009 and 2010. Played IRS in 2008, 2010 in Ireland and 2014.

 

David Mundy - All Australian in 2015. Played IRS in 2006 in Ireland.

 

Robert Murphy - All Australian in 2011 and 2015. Played IRS in 2002 in Ireland and 2003.

 

Nick Riewoldt - All Australian in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2014. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Tom Rockliff - All Australian in 2014. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Jarryd Roughead. All Australian in 2013 and 2014.

 

Nick Smith - All Australian in 2014. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Jake Stringer - All Australian in 2015.

 

Harry Taylor - All Australian in 2010 and 2013. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Chad Wingard - All Australian in 2013 and 2015. Played IRS in 2014.

 

Easton Wood - All Australian in 2015. Played IRS in 2011.

 

 

 

The Virgin Australia International Rules Test will be telecast around Australia by the Seven Network.