Irish flood set to sweep AFL

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Authored by: Ash Nugent
on Thursday, October 25 2007 @ 06:49 pm ACST

I have to disagree Sean, I think it's very exciting. Let's face it, it'll be very tough for Australia to find a genuine Australian football opponent in the near future, except for say South Africa (which are still a long way off). Gaelic converts may be the key to fast-tracking Ireland's football program. And once Australia has one country to play against, those who continually say "If Australian football is so great why doesn't anyone else play it?" will be shut-up and surely it won't be much longer before global interest grows and more people take up the game.

Regardless of the position the current Irish lads play on the field, they are giving our game exposure in Ireland. Tadgh and the Swans have made inroads for our game in Ireland and this exposure may lead to Irish kids taking up the game. As these kids develop we might see Irish full-forwards and position players being drafted. Don't get me wrong, it's a long way off. But imagine there is an adequate football presence in Ireland in five years. Five year olds begin to take up the game. They reach eighteen and are draft prospects. Thats eighteen years away but it's better than fifty years and much better than never at all.

I'm confident fans would turn out in big numbers to see an international between Australia and Ireland.
1.) You'd have those Irish that would love to see them beat Australia at their own game
2.) Ireland would be playing! National duty to support your country.
3.) *Fingers crossed* that the Irish in the AFL would lead to an Irish interest in the AFL. They'd go along to see their stars play.
4.) The fact that football is a great game (and similar to Gaelic football). Surely if they were fans of exciting, physical sports they would get along to see.

I'm sure Gaelic fans haven't boycotted soccer because a few of their players were stolen. If they continue to look at football as a threat to their own game then perhaps it will be. They need to accept it in its own right. There is room in Ireland for both games.

Irish flood set to sweep AFL

Authored by: JMS
on Friday, October 26 2007 @ 10:34 pm ACST

Martin Clarke may become a truly great midfielder. Setanta may become a good key position player. Colm Begley could become another Kennelly, and Kennelly's one of the best the Swans have.

If this is the continuing caliber of Irish imports into the AFL (and that's a big 'if', but it's all a big if at this point) then a match between Ireland and Australia at the MCG would sell out, easy. Yes, the Australian lineup looks scary, almost impossible to beat, but people said the same thing in basketball about the USA dream team, and they're getting beaten increasingly often. And Irishmen are a chance in any contest, no matter how long the odds. And so many AFL fans would just love the chance to see the All-Australian team in action, whatever the opposition.

Just having 100,000 people watching Ireland playing any sport in any country would be a big story in Ireland, win or lose. In fact, you don't get 100,000 people watching many international contests in any sport. It could get noticed in a number of countries. Which could start an international rivalry known around the world, which in turn changes the sport's image from one of obscurity, to that of a recognised international sport...that a few other nations might then want a piece of.

Irish flood set to sweep AFL

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Friday, October 26 2007 @ 11:10 pm ACST

Yep, it's all crystal ball gazing and a splash of hope, but it could be a very important step in giving credibility to the game's international push.

Imagine a national side now from a third country, like Canada, South Africa, Britain or China etc, looking for funding, and the government says, "Who else plays this sport - show us these internationals". Well pointing at Australia vs Ireland in from of 100,000 fans would open their eyes.

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

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