Irish flood set to sweep AFL

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Authored by: Sean Finlayson
on Thursday, October 25 2007 @ 08:06 am ACST

Hey let's not get too excited based on a couple of Irish success stories ....

Firstly most of the Gaelic players in the AFL tend to play rebound defender or ruck roles (possibly due to the attributes of players in gaelic as a code), and to date the recruiters have only gone for mid size to talls. What I am saying is that you can't have a team full of half-backs and ruckmen ! You need your goal kicking forwards and your hard nosed midfielders as well. Until we see some Irish imports become key position players or midfielders, you'd find it extremely hard to compile a best 22 to play Australia, let alone one that wouldn't be defeated by 300 points.

Then consider who are you going to get to turn up to see it ? I doubt that people from Ireland would turn up in any great number. The success of the IR series was that the compromise rules drew followers from both codes. There is really no point in planning a senior "international" match unless it has both countries (or at least one) are going to be fired up about it, and I couldn't see Australians going along unless it was a relatively even contest. I think that ultimately the concept would have to start by entering Ireland as a "state" in a State of Origin series and see how they go. At least it would be a good reason for a return to the series (and a change from the consistently watering down of the 150th celebrations of our game by its current governing body, the VFL/AFL).

Also, remember that 1) not all of these guys are fully Irish (at least the O'Hailpins aren't, and Clarke is from Northern Ireland) so you'd have to think hard about eligibility 2) these guys are not all Gaelic footballers - Setanta was a hurler and 3) only 3 of them are current senior players - the rest are yet to debut in the seniors and may even get delisted before they get to strutt their stuff. Just because they are drafted as a rookie does not mean they are necessarily of AFL quality.

I'd like to see a few more at state level to round out the numbers and to make their way up instead of taking up the AFL rookie lists in place of talented players who have learned the game since juniors. And I'd personally like the AFL recruiters to think outside the square in terms of international rookies and draft some athletes from other countries.

Irish flood set to sweep AFL

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Thursday, October 25 2007 @ 12:05 pm ACST

The small part of the story about possible future international competition is purely an extrapolation if the trends continue - I accept they may not.

I don't think the fact that the O'hAilpins were born in Australia particularly rules them out as genuine Irishmen.

I agree with the point about most of the recuits thus far being half back types. But Clarke may well become a midfielder, Setanta a full back (but has also been used up forward), and if the experiment continues to yield success there are plenty of bigger Irishmen who may also be recruited.

Regarding State of Origin, it appears to have died again as the support is not there from the clubs. The AFL can't make them do what they don't want to do. Part of that relates to some clubs thinking too many players will be used, giving them a premiership season disadvantage, and with so many states competing there is no way to fit in a genuine series. Whereas we have seen that a 2 game international series has more chance of being played (International Rules).

And who would come and watch it? Plenty turn up for the hybrid series, so a well promoted true Aussie Rules international would draw too in Australia. IF there was a decent stadium to play Aussie Rules in Ireland on a large scale, would the Irish turn up to see their boys come home and represent them? We can't know for sure, but I suspect they would. Anyway, this is all just speculation about a possible future.

---
Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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