A few facts to correct the maths-challenged Foolsgold: Lance Franklin recently signed a nine-year $10-million (Oz dollars) contract for Sydney. So he's earning less than $1 million a year - which at current exchange rates is about 690,000 Euro. That's about what Wayne Rooney earns in a fortnight (and he's still whinging!).

Also, the Aussies treat the international series with derision - sending an all-Aboriginal squad. They would be appalled if Ireland sent an Under-23 "development" squad to Australia.

Also, from listening to their talkback shows, they lack basic respect for our beloved games - thinking only of them in relation to how some GAA players would do in their superior code. Because of the GAA's relatively easier tackling rules, the forum moderator would refuse to put up this post were I to repeat some of the names they call our "soft" players.

The GAA should put their energies and finances into promoting our game in Britain and the Continent - where, over a realistic period, our codes would definitely grow.

End this embarrassing junket-laden waste of money -the Aussies are only interested in a free recruitment drive.

The_Sweeper (UK) - Posts: 290 - 17/10/2013 14:25:04    1502293

Please, please bury this rubbish hybrid once and for all. Well said bennybunny all local fixtures have to take precedence over this ****, that is what the GAA is all about, the Parish and the players who love their clubs. The suits might not like it, "bang" goes their bi-annual trip/junket down under.

AwbegRover (Cork) - Posts: 136 - 17/10/2013 14:32:46    1502299

gaelantrim
County: Antrim
Posts: 1501

1490028
Looking forward to the International rules as usual. The only time our country gets to play together as one nation. Can anyone explain what the ,"indigenous" means? All Aboriginal, or all born in Australia? Anyone?


It means they are native or part-native Australians, born in Australia and of Aboriginal race.

The_Sweeper (UK) - Posts: 290 - 17/10/2013 14:46:36    1502316

See how this series goes before getting the knifes out. Yes I was wrong on the figures. well done.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2868 - 17/10/2013 14:55:12    1502325

Good on ye, Foolsgold.

The_Sweeper (UK) - Posts: 290 - 17/10/2013 16:04:47    1502385

I like the games, and will be watching Sat with my aussie pals, many of who are travelling over for the game in Dublin. I do think a players club games though should take precedence over the game as I believe its the club ethos that makes the GAA so great. But as with Michael Murphy its rare that you get the opportunity to captain your country.
Also I do not think the Aussies deride our game the certainly agree there game is more physical and that they can bash us up, but they do appreciate the skills in Gaelic football

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 17/10/2013 16:25:34    1502397

Indigenous means both aboriginal people from mainland Australia and Torres Strait Islanders (who are Melanesian).
And although indigenous people make up only a small portion of Australia's population, the make up a much bigger proportion of total AFL players. To highlight the great contribution indigenous players have made to our game, every year we have a team of Indigenous All Stars play an AFL team in a trial match which is well supported. The team we have sent over to Ireland has some pretty good players in it, although it is disappointing Buddy Franklin went home early. It would be a much better Australian team than we fielded for the last series in Australia.
I think this will be the last series. Some years ago it was at the crossroads as to whether it would be a serious contest or an exhibition match, and it has ended up being the latter. You can't expect professional players to get excited about something that doesn't matter and you can't expect professional clubs to risk their valuable players for an exhibition match.I think the AFL tried to keep it alive for one more series with the indigenous team angle, but from now on you will not get any top AFL players signing up for it. If it does continue it will only be friendlies between players from the lower leagues or from the amateurs which will obviously not be played in stadiums.

Zach (USA) - Posts: 1 - 20/10/2013 12:42:03    1503376

S Goldrick... tell me again wht Australia were favorites for this series

kikfada (Louth) - Posts: 2091 - 21/10/2013 14:47:51    1503882

I am a massive GAA man and would defend the majority of GAA issues, but unfortunately I cann defend this bastardised game, I wasmore than happy to let herself take teh romote contro, and watch x factor.... and now that is saying alot

Horsebox77 (Kerry) - Posts: 5491 - 21/10/2013 15:17:09    1503900

look people turn up for these games and people watch them, if every game isn't a classic then people ask for it to be scrapped

Rugby and soccer would have long been scrapped in this country if you used the same criteria

Edenburt15 (Cavan) - Posts: 723 - 21/10/2013 15:38:48    1503913

a pure waste of money the GAA has one international sport handball invest more money into that and into gaa clubs in the country 11 aisde hurling and aussie rules waste of money holidays for the lads fianna fail kind of thing

hurlorhurley (Wexford) - Posts: 1660 - 21/10/2013 15:50:02    1503928

Please let this "sport" die the slow agonising death it deserves.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 21/10/2013 15:55:00    1503933

I like it

*watches back*

emmomac (UK) - Posts: 273 - 21/10/2013 16:35:55    1503968

I'm with Horsebox77 here. I handed back the remote to the ladies of the house after ten minutes - let them watch x-factor if they want, I'm away to read the paper.

doiregael2 (Derry) - Posts: 337 - 21/10/2013 16:39:52    1503969

I see the Aussies are enjoying themselves at least!

Don't think they have any interest in it. Ireland at evens on Saturday was a steal. Doubt it will survive this series.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 21/10/2013 16:40:29    1503970

Kill the series!!! It was absolute manure the other day.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 21/10/2013 17:03:09    1503987

aussie rules professional my a***
there as bad as irish soccer team win loose were on the beer

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/10/2013 20:58:55    1504151

it's time to stop this farce of a game...what we witnessed on the box the other night was pure pathetic rubbish....yesterday i sat down to watch the meath club final and it was a joy to watch..good hard running football..great tackling...great scores...and 2 teams prepared to work like dogs...compare this to the rubbish we had to sit through on saturday night...a game full of mistakes where the players didn't even understand the makey up rules...end it now!

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 21/10/2013 20:59:23    1504152

I have to say that I'm very disappointed with the selection policy for the Irish team for the 2nd test. There was a 29 man squad picked initially that was narrowed down to 23 for the first test. Then there were 2 changes made for the 2nd test. This means that 4 players will not get to play in either test. Surely that is disrespectful to these players especially considering that the 2nd test is a dead rubber. I think the management should be ashamed of themselves.

The Face (Monaghan) - Posts: 890 - 24/10/2013 08:23:52    1505276

The Face
County: Monaghan
Posts: 765

I have to say that I'm very disappointed with the selection policy for the Irish team for the 2nd test. There was a 29 man squad picked initially that was narrowed down to 23 for the first test. Then there were 2 changes made for the 2nd test. This means that 4 players will not get to play in either test. Surely that is disrespectful to these players especially considering that the 2nd test is a dead rubber. I think the management should be ashamed of themselves.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree with you, but the Irish management are (incredibly) under the illusion that this series is actually a genuine competition. The Aussies realised long ago that it was a junket, to the extent that I read they only togged out 21 players instead of their allotted 23 last Saturday, before heading out on the beer.

International Rules reminds me of the Eurovision Song Contest in the 1990s, when Irish competitors were pulling out all the stops to win it, but everyone else had long since realised that it was all just a bit of a farce.

Thomas Clarke (Tyrone) - Posts: 1002 - 24/10/2013 10:59:54    1505347