International Rules 2010/2011

[HeaveHo]

Aussie Rules players are the all round fittest athletes in the world in my opinion.

I think that might be pushing it a little.

Probably the fittest of the various football codes played around the world. Plus it depends just on how you measure fitness (Beep tests etc).

[lynchbhoy]

while patriotically I wanted Ireland to win, I was impressed by the aussies.
Now that they have taken the cynical and dirty element out of their game, they can be appreciated for the great pro athletes and ball players that they are.

Certainly the Irish IR team as well as clubs and counties can all learn from this masterclass in football play.
The aussies in stark contrast to the Irish team, used their brains as well as physical abilities and this was the difference.
Not content just to win a mark, the aussie would be already looking for a team mate and team mates would already be making runs and had already lost their markers.
Conversely the Irish player would win his mark, trot back 10 yards with his back to the play and then after all the Irish players at this stage being marked and the Aussies getting back behind the ball, did the player attempt to hoof the ball up the field in hope or back to cluxton who started well but obv got tired from kicking the ball out way too much.
Football intelligence - thats what the aussies had, they use this all the time in their game and while some do it in gaelic football, it was obv that not too many of these were playing on sat night.
The Irish lads couldnt kick pass the ball or when under pressure they just hoofed it - usually straight to an aussie. Thats unforgivable in junior club football !

the Irish lads played as if they were afraid to get hit too. Once an opponent senses fear, you have no hope.
At least this time the Irish didnt start fighting to try and disguise their fear - which is what used to happen all too often.
The Irish lads kicking wides (behinds) was also a bit of a disgrace.
Only in the last 8 minutes when the Irish lads realised they were not tired and they were going to be humiliated if they kept that bad display up - did they cut loose, move the ball quickly, run at the aussies and pass the ball quickly - then the team had a whle different look.
Th Irish side can beat the aussies.
However I would like to take  a lot from how the aussies play an dput it into any team I'd be associated with.Thats how to play team sports - esp the likes of Gaelic football and aussie rules.

Plenty to be learned and plenty to be admired.
The Aussie captain and two other forwards were exceptional (names escape me now).
I'd love to see them play gaelic fotball !
No point in giving out lads - if we lose its because we are not good enough. Thats no shame.
But to lose as we are afraid, being rubbish at the basic passing or kicking skills as well as playing unintelligent football - thats unforgivable and not going to inspire our underage ranks!

[Zapatista]

Aussie Rules players are the all round fittest athletes in the world in my opinion.

I think that might be pushing it a little.

Probably the fittest of the various football codes played around the world. Plus it depends just on how you measure fitness (Beep tests etc).

You could be right.

I'd say boxing at the top level is much more demanding on the body.
While cycling at the top would have better fitness levels (beeb tests etc).
Only guessing though.

under pressure they just hoofed it - usually straight to an aussie. Thats unforgivable in junior club football

But perfectly acceptable in hurling

[Banana Man]

Does anyone know how many all Australian allstars were on the ozzie team?

i think there were only 3 or 4 on it who are obviously the best at the AFL code

I thought the quality of kickpassing from the Aussies was unreal

[lynchbhoy]

under pressure they just hoofed it - usually straight to an aussie. Thats unforgivable in junior club football

But perfectly acceptable in hurling

maybe in Tyrone club hurling, not anywhere else thats serious about winning !!

[INDIANA]

I doubt it....I was reading where Tommy Walsh was saying the training runs were brutal and he actually dropped a stone in weight. So if he is aerobically challenged by it coming of the back of an AI winning level of fitness and being a young buck then I would guess that Aussie rules is tougher.

Now, if Gaelic was professional and Gaelic players trained every day then , yeah, you might find Gaelic is slightly more aerobically challenging...but I'd say there'd be very little in it.

Look, there is no shame in conceding the fitness advantage...in fact, if its not an advantage then you have to judge the result on skill/ability alone which paints an even more embarrasing picture for us.

I also recall Marty Clarke saying when he went undertook the pre-season training in Arizona that he was the quickest in the long distance time trials (can't remember if they were over 5 or 10k)

Marty was a freak thought similar to Brendan Murphy who set new records at the Swans. They would be one in a millions rather then the norm.

[Jinxy]

Yeah but when Graham Geraghty was over with Arsenal.......

[HeaveHo]

Does anyone know how many all Australian allstars were on the ozzie team?

i think there were only 3 or 4 on it who are obviously the best at the AFL code

I thought the quality of kickpassing from the Aussies was unreal

Four - Frawley, Montagna, Reiwoldt and Swan.

In the good old days the All Australian team were automatic picks for the IR series if they wanted to participate -- not any more. They have left most of the big units at home. I would have liked to see how big Aaron Sandilands (All Australian ruckman) would have gone - Aaron is a 211 cms (a cigarette paper under 7') and 126 kgs and is surprising mobile and has a pretty good wind tank. He wouldn't be able to keep up with quick types playing but would have provided plenty of confusion in the goal mouth especially with the high balls coming in.

The Aussie team picked is far from the best team possible which also appears to be the case for the Irish team.

[Fuzzman]

He's a big chap alright

[ross matt]

Surely though guys when you take the thuggery out of International Rules it's pretty much gaelic football minus most of the skills played longer?

The Australians kicked the ball much more intelligently than we did to our eternal shame but apart from that it was a case of running with no soloing...... badly executed soccer vollies (from us).... "marks" awarded for catches that would be average in gaelic football..... lateral (and often reverse) hand passes.... atrocious shooting from both sides (with us worse than them)..... tackling that is more grappling and never involves knocking the ball out of an opponents hands...One well taken goal from Bernard Brogan that if scored in our own game the defence would have been lynched for opening up the space to let him drive in and take the shot which a good keeper may have stopped.

Everyone in the media moaned about the poor quality but it reality (played by the rules) that's the best this code has to offer. The only interest/excitement comes from the scraps if people are being honest. But if thats what has to reappear in order to jazz it up then it should be dispensed with. More time and marketing should go in to our club finals etc at this time of year.

[BarryBreensBandage]

Have bought tickets for Saturday, but not looking forward to it one bit.

Ireland looked scared to go for the ball in case of getting tackled; Cluxton proved that you can dummy these players and not have to take the tackle.

Also never seen as many egos on an Ireland team - going for points from ridiculous distances for their own gain.

Bernard Brogan looked completely hacked off at the end, and I would say that was down to lack of ball given up to him.

[Redhand Santa]

Expect to see a much improved performance from Ireland and a lot more commitment. Players will react to the criticism. There have been plenty of good games over the years in international rules, people are very quick to stick the boot into it.

The gaa haven't done much to market it this time round,very poor. This is the first gaa event under lights in Croke Park since January 2009, surely they could do a bit more to promote it.

[fearglasmor]

Jayz I'm sick listening to it advertised on radio and tv.
The TG4 ad is funny. I thought it was a pisstake by Mario when I heard it first,  "a game so exclusive, its only played twice every two years"  or something like that.

[lawnseed]

benny is fit for sat night, he'll make a hell of difference. young murphy was like gooch a rabbit caught in the headlights. one thing about coulter hes got balls and stevie loves playing along side him. i'd have liked to see paddy bradley throw his hand in our forwards were fairly anon the last game

[HeaveHo]

He's a big chap alright

Yep - the Carlton player standing next to in is Lance Withnall who was 6'3" or so. That is an old picture (Lance hasn't played for 3-4 years now) - Aaron has beefed up a little since then.