Boycotting The International Rules Series

[heffo]

Who is Keith?

Duffy.

Can't imagine Mike Baldwin taking too much of an interest in the series, or Fred now that you mention it!

[magickingdom]

the international rules series is great for the gaa, and if a few lads get to live in oz as pro for a few years its a small price to pay. it certainly helps keep the premiership out of my house for a few more weeks every year its on

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Yes lets stop the International Rules and the Australians will stop holding clinics, stop watching Hogan Cup, Minor games etc....why not enter the real world and accept there is no way of stopping Irish players going to Australia to play Aussie Rules.

[The Real Laoislad]

Yes lets stop the International Rules and the Australians will stop holding clinics, stop watching Hogan Cup, Minor games etc....why not enter the real world and accept there is no way of stopping Irish players going to Australia to play Aussie Rules.

Ah sure if everyone done that there be nothing for the whingers to complain about 

[Rossfan]

Yes lets stop the International Rules and the Australians will stop holding clinics, stop watching Hogan Cup, Minor games etc....why not enter the real world and accept there is no way of stopping Irish players going to Australia to play Aussie Rules.

Well said DFS. Them lads will want Rule 21 and 27 restored yet to keep the GAA in purecloudcuckoo land.

A point of order to the lad who said Pearse Hanley is now in Australia instead of playing for his County - please note Pearse Hanley CAN'T PLAY FOR HIS COUNTY unless he moved to another part of co Roscommon and transferred to that club.

[Jinxy]

  Ballaghadreen. The South Ossetia of Connacht.

[ardal]

Without taking issue with the fact that our own organisation will probably slip down the road of professionalism shortly, I'd think it'd be an incredible decision for our players to be blinded by the spotlights of an Aussie rules contract. What's the average lifespan of a gaa player there at the highest level? It appears to be about 4 years and then major mobility problems. Don't think we've too much to worry about if this is correct, still believe that we've kept en-tack county before pocket mindset

[dodgy umpire]

there could be few greater joys than to represent your country, and the games do provide entertainment.  wouldnt agree that they advertise our best players and the aussies have scouts throughout the country anyway so theyre going to see them anyway. while we cant begrude players for wanting to go overseas, action must be taken to encourage them to stay

[Maguire01]

I won't be watching it because it's crap.

[THEREALGRASSROOTS]

I play senior football, I travel to every Derry game, I take an underage team in the club, I would go out on a Wednesday night to watch the under-16s training and I wouldn't waste my time watching the disaster that is the International Rules.  Just look at the tackle on Benny Coulter a couple of years ago.  It's alright for the Aussies who can sit in the house and undergo months of rehab and get paid for it, but there's a big difference between amateur and professional.  As advanced as our games have become, the players are not as physical as their Australian counterparts and inevitably get bullied, resulting in the last few hammerings we've taken in the series.

[On_the_Couch]

If they were serious about the game being a showcase for both sets of players skills, I'd take the tackle out of it.  Let's see how good the Aussies are when they can't mill an oncoming player. 

There are also a few things the Irish could do better - 1. avoid the tackle, as one journalist in the tribune yesterday said the aussies train to avoid the tackle whilst gaelic players are encouraged to take a player on - no chance of a point like Doohers being scored against the Aussies - he'd a been dragged to the floor by the first player he went near.  2. Learn to move back from the mark position.  All the Aussies retreat 15-20 yards before releasing the ball, as the defending player stands at the mark position - the Irish tendency is to try and steel a few yards because the defending team are forced to retreat.

[AbbeySider]

why not enter the real world and accept there is no way of stopping Irish players going to Australia to play Aussie Rules.

I am in the real world. Its obvious that we cant stop players going to Australia, but we are playing straight into their hands by having U-17 development squads and showing them our best talent that would suit their game.
Its not promoting our game as much as its promoting theirs over here. They are laughing at us.

[stephenite]

The new rules that allow for suspension of Aussie players from the AFL competition should help improve their discipline - previously they could do what they wanted in the International series without any fear of repercussions on their 'day job'

[ykickamoocow]

What has really changed for the Australian team in recent years is the type of players we selected for the International Rules series. In early yearrrrrrrrrrrr just take our All Australian team but that didnt work  as obviously Aussie Rules Football and International Rules Football are different games. These days we tend to take smaller and faster players as they are more suited to the IR series.

[AbbeySider]

As a couple of people have already pointed out - the U17 competition is gone. Granted it was a bit ridiculous but its gone so this is no longer an issue. Anyway, I'd bet good money that any of the Aussie scouts worth their salt over here would know of most of the outstanding U17 talent in the country these days, without needing to see who is named on an international squad.

Your right, I think my gripe about development squads the was in vein.
But it seems Nicky Brennan agreed with me about showcasing our young talent. Thanks Nickey!


http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22617052-11088,00.html

Curtains for under-17 International Rules series

IF THE senior International Rules series is not dead in the water, the under-17 version certainly is.
Gaelic Athletic Association president Nickey Brennan is determined to keep the prized junior series in the deep-freeze.

As concerns about losing Irish talent to the AFL mount, Brennan has declared: "That series is dead in the water, you can take that as a given.

"Maybe we were our own worst enemies by putting our best players in the shop window by having that series."

The under-17 series was last held in Australia in last year, and the Australians toured Ireland in 2005.

Although it is an invaluable experience for Australia's AIS academy members, the Irish are angry that AFL clubs saw it as a recruiting opportunity.

Brennan made his comments about the under-17 series as he prepared to meet AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou on the future of the senior International Rules concept.

Flanked by GAA player welfare manager Paraic Duffy, Brennan met with Demetriou in Paris. Both parties reviewed the controversial incidents at Croke Park almost a year ago that forced the suspension of the senior International Rules series.

Brennan warned the meeting would be no quick-fix and that was the case. The meeting was described as "frank and cordial", but it was not enough to revive the series.

It was agreed that further discussions were needed before the issue of a resumption of the International Rules series could be considered.

Both sides emphasised their commitment to maintaining their long-standing relationship. A further meeting will take place in the new year.

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Well that seems to be closure on the development squads.
Anyway im still boycotting it.

I dont want to see our senior players getting humiliated again after that debacle 16 months ago.