http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6101392.stm

Is the International Rules series just an excuse to show us Irish how tough you Aussies are?

Don't tell me! Let me guess:

The barman told him that he thought Aussie Rules a bit poofy? Then after the boxing, the bouncer didn't throw him out of the club but wrote his name in a wee black book instead? 

I hope they cannot see / The limitless potential / Building inside of me / To murder everything / I hope they cannot see / I am the great destroyer

Poor old Fev - his problem is he sounds a little bit slow or intoxicated even when completely sober.

Depends on his mood, but he sometimes does have a short fuse.

This is one of those stories where I'd love to hear the other side.

Still, this series is only about 1 thing for me - the chance for some of our players to let off steam by belting the crap out of some pale, skinny Irish guys (did I get the quote exactly right?  ).  Last series 1 of the Aussie players decked 3 or 4 Irishmen singlehanded...and apparently there was a backlash in Ireland (out of sheer embarassment I'm guessing ).  So officialdom went and changed the bloody rules so that players actually get sent off the field - just for nutting an opponent!!  Is there no end to this politically-correct, nanny-state crusade??  (In Aussie Rules you can't send a player from the field during a game unless they are excessively bleeding).

So really, it boils down to the rulemakers.  If they want this to become a quasi-queerball (sorry - soccer, or "fussball") competition, then they can expect the same sort of thuggish, hooligan behaviour off the ground that's found in many European nations.  Otherwise, let the men play hard like men on the field, a bit of biff here and there, shake hands at the end of the game and share a cold...errr...Guinness!!  That's not asking too much is it?

I would like to point out, that I live beside Pierce stadium, where that match took place!

Go me!

That is all. 

What's galway like for nightlife outlaw? I was down there once as a kid and remember it seeming quite a lively place to be...

Oh and cybacaT  I know australia is only a couple of hundred years old but most of the rest of the world has evolved and become civilised. Actually going out onto a SPORTS field hell bent on wrecking somebody belongs in roman times...if you aussies wanna compensate lack of talent with thuggery just confine it to your own country  

P.S. Have you seen much of a young guy called Martin Clarke? He's an 18yr old gaelic footballer from my neck of the woods (County Down) who recently went over there to play aussie rules. I think he has signed for a team called Collingwood, are they a good team?

What's galway like for nightlife outlaw? I was down there once as a kid and remember it seeming quite a lively place to be...

Their Pubs can't be that good if they won't even serve a bloke a drink!!

Oh and cybacaT  I know australia is only a couple of hundred years old but most of the rest of the world has evolved and become civilised. Actually going out onto a SPORTS field hell bent on wrecking somebody belongs in roman times...if you aussies wanna compensate lack of talent with thuggery just confine it to your own country  

But there is some kicking and punching of the ball in-between pommelling Irishmen...it's not _all_ thuggery...just the good bits!

Well that was an entertaining 2nd and last game of the series.  It was good in some aspects, bad in others.

What was good was the biff - and credit to the Irish for standing and delivering, even though they were generally out-muscled across the field.  Shame about the Irish bloke who got knocked out - apparently he broke a shoulder or collarbone - not sure.  One of the Aussies copped a headbutt off the ball, but took it well.  Overall it was a fireworks-filled first quarter, and the new card system worked well in allowing a bit of biff, but also keeping a lid on things so they didn't ever get out of hand.

It was good the Aussies picked a team of light, agile players.  Out of our All-Australian squad of 22, only 5 were picked for this trip.  They also could have just gone with a side of heavier, tougher players - but that may have resulted in more serious injury to Irish players - and it's meant to be a friendly event.  So glad to see a lighter team picked more on their ability to handle the soccer ball well.

Also credit to the crowd.  Some idiots question how long this concept will continue.  When it was here last time, there were massive crowds to the games.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they get 83,000 to the game yesterday - the biggest Irish crowd to watch any Irish team, of any sporting code - ever?  Given the crowds love it, the players love it, just who is getting their nose bent here?  Seems there are a few wowsers who need to pull their heads in and let people enjoy their sport.

Disappointing on the day was the Irish effort with the ball.  They were well below their usual standard - passing, scoring shots, and just general field positionging was weak.  We're used to a far higher skilled team from Ireland - usually pacey, agile and skillful with the soccer ball.  Not sure why they were off tonight.

At the end of the day, the game has earned more respect through the ever-increasing crowds gathering to watch it.  The Irish also earned respect for standing their ground against the odds, not stepping back when challenged physically, and for their excellent effort in the 1st game.

Aye poor result for the Irish, serious margin to lose by especially as the rules are compromised more in our favour...glad to see the convicts back to they're old tricks again  seemed to be you were playing with one arm behind your back in the first game. I suppose you're right about right about the physical aspect of the game, we wouldn't want to win feeling that the aussies weren't fully committed. The best thing to do is what Sean Marty Lockhart did to your guy and hit back hard!!

 EDIT: However I can see why some of our best talent e.g. Colm 'gooch' Cooper have ruled themselves out of playing again. Our guys would have had to get up this morning to go back to their bread-and-butter jobs as posties/doctors/trademen etc. whereas the aussies are all professionals. No point in risking serious injury and time off work just for a once-a-year spectacle.

It's very hard to find a fair balance.  When you have a team of amateur sportsmen against a team of professionals...a team who play on small rectangular fields against a team who play on large oval or round fields...a team who play with a soccerball against a team who play with a football...a team who are used to a fast paced game against a team who are used to a slightly more stop-start, but physical game...it's hard find compromise.

I think they're pretty close to an even balance at the moment as can be seen by the 1-1 result of the series.  The Irish did well to step up to the physical clashes and give plenty back, but that may have expended their energy or taken their focus off the ball a little too much, as showed during the rest of the match.

The Aussie coach Kevin Sheedy went so far as to say the Irish initiated most of the physical clashes - in both games.  Not sure I want to agree with that, but it was a great response to an inflamed Irish media!

But seriously, heaps of bums on seats - you can't tell me anyone is seriously considering cancelling this concept.  It's almost become an annual thing where some Irish (including their protective coach) say they want to take their ball and go home...but they're always back next year.

As for some Irishmen pulling out, I don't really understand that.  I may work a regular job, but if given the chance to represent my country and put my body on the line - I would in a heartbeat.  I think this reflects poorly on their patriotism, or perhaps not so understanding bosses where they work?

As for shinting and hurling - you give me a bell next time you get 83,000 people in Ireland to watch those!

Most of your boys are ok, but perhaps the coach should start up a crochet class for the rest of them.  They can sit around and make tea kettle cosies with other fragile folk?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6119174.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6123676.stm

Think thats the end of it chum...

What the Aussies played last weekend wasn't sport, it was thuggery - sorry, there's no other word for it!

The GAA is best forgetting all about the Aussies and concentrating instead on the Shinty/Hurling Internationals: http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=200451050&p=zxx45y756&t=gaa (a-hem....!)

I hope they cannot see / The limitless potential / Building inside of me / To murder everything / I hope they cannot see / I am the great destroyer

Ummm...could someone please explain to me how this conclusion is reached:

"There is no future for International Rules".

On what basis?

Financial?  It is a booming success...

Because the Crowds don't want to watch it?  It's a sellout attracting record crowds...

Because it's too violent?  Only a couple of soft nancies and 1 coach are claiming that - the rest of the players are actually men who don't mind playing men's sport.  Most of the big hits were legitimate within the rules.  Even some of the legitimate hits such as hip and shoulders were penalised to try and soften the game up, yet people still complain!  Perhaps some Irish fans (and their coach, and their media) need to read the rulebook before the match next time.

Because a player got taken to hospital?  It was a small, light Aussie player laying a perfectly legal tackle.  What can I say?  Accidents happen, and the guy may have had a previous injury there.  You play men's sport, you get injured sometimes - you don't sit around and cry about it!

Because Ireland lost the series?  Ok...I think we're getting to the core of the matter here.  Had there been the same argie-bargie, but Ireland won - all the first quarter scuffles would have been forgotten.  Let's be honest here - the protestation is simply sour grapes and highlights a few bad losers.  This is what we refer to in Australia as "spitting the dummy".

If it isn't just a case of bad losers, I would seriously love to know the reason why some suggest the series has no future - because that just makes no sense to me at all...

Here's the highlights package for those who missed the game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4U8zEMmLM

I note 3 things:

1.  The biff was about 50-50 between the teams, even though the reactions afterward were quite different.

2.  The tackle that injured the Irish player was perfectly legal, just a simple accident.

3.  The biggest hit - a hip and shoulder bump is also perfectly legal.  The Irish player just wasn't watching where he was going...

4.  Overall it was pretty tame stuff with hardly any real punches thrown - mostly just light pushing and holding.  If you want to see biff you really need to watch the current Rugby League series between GB, NZ and OZ!