Game Day International Rules Series - Rocky vs Hanley.

[Monterronaldo]

For those who are unaware or who have consciously elected to not pay attention, the International Rules Test will played tonight (Edit: Saturday night) at Pattersons Stadium in WA at around 7;45pm Brisbane time.

The International Rules Series has been a contentious topic to say the least in recent years with the popularity rate beginning to dwindle, this could be one of the last IRS games played on Australian shores. The falling popularity is not surprising. The past few years have resembled an S&M scene as the Irish have routinely caned us after we had sent out a side which is well below the best we had to offer only for the AFL to send another side of similar standard (With the exception on the Indigenous All Stars).

Now, in a desperate bid to revive the series, the AFL has mandated that only All-Australian players be selected in the national side. This should make for a much tighter affair with earlier series involving the top Aussie players showing a remarkably improved success rate.

For us Lions fans the game holds a little bit extra interest as we are the only team to have representatives in both national teams. Tom Rockliff and Pearce Hanley will square off tonight and while there is no doubt that Pearce's skill with the round ball is miles ahead of Rocky's. It still should be interesting to see how they tackle the compromised form of the game and how they apply their strengths in AFL to the new code.

Now if you are like me, then the International Rules Series holds more excitement that it otherwise would due to the footy withdrawal symptoms which tend to increase in the void left after trade week. Like a caffeine addict forced to buy a $2 7/11 coffee to make it through the day, I am optimistic that the match will be an exciting, spirit lifting moment in my day yet I fear that I shall end up with nothing but disappointment and questions as to why I decided to put myself through the whole ordeal. However, in either case, best or worst, I know that my yearning for footy will be at least subdued in the short term by watching the game tonight before the withdrawal symptoms predictably kick in the morning after.

Lets hope for a good, clean game with no injuries to either side and and entertaining spectacle which might prolong the opportunity for AFL players to represent their country.

 

[JasperBeardly]

Like the enthusiasm, but isn't it on tomorrow night?

 

[MacMum]

I thought so. Ch7 8.30pm iirc. (melb time)

 

[Monterronaldo]

Whoops!! My mistake. I could have sworn it was on the 21st!

 

[knaf]

Whoops!! My mistake. I could have sworn it was on the 21st!

Those $2 coffees from 7/11 will do it to you everytime.

 

[Billy Puller]

I reckon it will be a tight affair now we are fielding a decent team.

 

[JasRulz63]

I'm honestly just hoping no one gets injured.

 

[Caiphus]

Those $2 coffees from 7/11 will do it to you everytime.

In the spirit of International Rules, I think they have been Irished...

 

[adey115]

The only thing I am really hoping for, is that neither of our boys do their knees or the like....

 

[matwt73]

I have always been a big fan of the IR series.

When living in the UK I had the opportunity to go and watch a match at Croke Park. (think it would have been 2002)
Croke Park is a Gaelic Athletics Association Stadium, used for Hurling and Gaelic football, it has since been used for rugby but at the time had not been and was kept for the Gaelic games. Given how seriously the GAA take these things It was therefore a huge honour and humbling to be invited to play.

The way the crowd embraced the game, and embraced the Australian players, in what was a pretty brutal encounter was awesome. The ground announcer exhorting the crowd to show theiraprreciatio n for these ' hard, brave Aussie Lads' The entire stadium singing "the fields of Athenry" and the wind blowing a pelting rain horizontally down the length of the ground. I have since spoken to Pearce and he said he too was at that game, and I'd love to think that a teenage Pearce hanley might have been further inspired by that match.

I've attended an IR game at the G too, and it wasn't nearly as evocative, but, I support representatve football, and still think that representing your country is the highest honour for a sportsman.

 

[wantok]

Looking forward to the game. I taped the finals GAA games which were on 7mate and got quite into the whole comp. The theatre of it all with the teams marching around the oval prior to kick off and the great skills got me in. Became a Mayo supporter based on those games plus the unforgettable experience of being in a small town called Louisburgh on Ireland's County Mayo west coast in 1999. We were tourists following the Rugby World Cup.There were signs up on fences all along the roads into the town saying Go Clare, Well Done Clare etc.. We thought it was something to do with a County Clare team success but found out at 2.00am in the morning when the village Brass Band blasted out in the main street outside our Pub that it was all about a young lass called Clare who had been named All Ireland Women's Youth captain after the national Championships in Dublin that day. There it was 2.00 in the morning the Bus from Dublin had arrived with the Champion Clare and the whole Village had turned out. Speechs from the Mayor and Clare, Music, streamers and balloons and flags. Spent a week in that Village and will never forget the Craic in those 8 pubs servicing the 500 residents.

 

[Ruse]

I don't really give a s**t about ireland tbh will most probably give it a miss.

 

[Betty Noir]

I'll watch anything remotely resembling sport. I wonder when the GA is going to start paying their players... why would you stay in Ireland and work 2 jobs (if you're that lucky to even have a job in a depressed potato picking Irish economy), when you could come to Oz and be a pro, and do a Hanley... pick up 500,000 a year. Obviously it's a one in a thousand chance, but boy oh boy wowee, I bet they're out to impress.

 

[pOleK]

if anyone does happen to get injured, i hope it's a magpie (not being disrespectful or anything )

 

[James North]

I'll be watching with interest, but will be cringing any time Rocky or Hanley doesn't get up immediately after a contest.

Go Lions!

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Wonder how Rocky will go with the pace of the game.

 

[MacMum]

Nearly time.

Enjoy the game boys, and come home safe and in one piece please.

 

[Simba Moyo]

I'm actually pretty psyched for this. Here's hoping Hanley & Rocky have ripping games and come home all the better for it

 

[POBT]

Not sure this game is going to suit Rocky. His lack of pace might get shown up.

 

[MacMum]

Quite a Brissy connection in the game.

Rockliff, Hanley, Chris Scott, Ross Lyon and Colm Begley

 

[Viceregal]

Not a bad looking interchange bench that!

I like the fact that I don't know the rules and am getting surprised at how things work as opposed that normal games where I *think* I know the rules and get surprised at how things work!

 

[Lace Out]

O'Shank

 

[Lace Out]

Very enjoyable game.Seen hundreds of worse afl matches.

 

[POBT]

Very enjoyable game.Seen hundreds of worse afl matches.

Always good watching great players.

Some incredibly talented Aussie players - Johnson, Wingard and Mitchell look like they've spent their entire careers playing with the round ball.

 

[James North]

This is totally worth watching ... I remember watching the last one at Metricon and just wanting to get the hell out of there 15min into the game. Banfield even picked it up a few times.

Also - Metricon stadium.