World Footy News

The Australian squad has had some modifications heading into the final week of training before the first international rules test match at the Adelaide Oval on November 12th.

GWS gun Toby Greene broke a toe in an unusual incident while on holiday in the States, and Australian coach Chris Scott decided to pick a handful of new players to take on Ireland. There’s a lot of backline speed to choose from among this group, including North Melbourne veteran Robbie Tarrant and the Melbourne Demons’ Neville Jetta.

Other new faces include West Coast gun Luke Shuey, versatile young Hawk Jack Gunston, Carlton’s Kade Simpson, and North Melbourne’s Ben Brown. It will be the fourth IRS series for Simpson, but all of the other squad additions are newcomers to the hybrid sport.

Jetta is a former two-time selection of the Indigenous All-Stars, while Shuey -- the vice-captain of the Eagles -- remains one of the competition’s most reliable playmakers. Brown, a key forward, was the Kangaroos’ leading goalkicker in the past two seasons and booted 63 of them in 2017, finishing third in the Coleman Medal voting.

These additions will give Chris Scott more than enough experience and firepower to make it a competitive contest against the Irish. AFL CEO Gill McLachlan has predicted a potential sellout at Adelaide Oval on the 12th, while the IRS will also be giving Subiaco Oval a suitable farewell when the IRS comes to Perth on the 18th.