Australian international rules football team

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This article concerns the men's team; for information on the Australian women's team, see Australia women's international rules football team.

Australia
Australian Football League.svg
Union Australian Football League
Coach(es) Australia Mick Malthouse
Captain(s) Brent Harvey
Largest win
Republic of Ireland Ireland 31 - 69 Australia Australia (2006, 2nd Test)
Worst defeat
Republic of Ireland Ireland 77 - 41 Australia Australia (2004, 1st Test)

The Australia international rules football team is Australia's senior representative team in International Rules football, a hybrid sport derived from Australian rules football and Gaelic football. The current team is solely made up of players from the Australian Football League.

Although Australian rules football is played around the world at an amateur level, Australia is considered far too strong to compete against at senior level. Hence, selection in the Australian international rules team is the only opportunity that Australian rules footballers have to represent their country. Until 2004 the majority of the men's Australian squad was comprised of members of the All Australian Team, as well as other outstanding performers from the season. In 2005 the decision was made to select players best suited to the conditions of the hybrid game, which resulted in a younger, smaller and quicker team being selected.[1]

The International Rules Series has been played annually against the Ireland international rules football team since 1998 after being first being played in 1984. It has been very evenly contested, with each side winning five series since 1998. The series was not held in 2007 following a fiery 2006 series, before being revived for the 2008 International Rules Series, which saw Ireland win back the Cormac McAnallen Cup by winning both matches in Australia.

An elite squad of Under-17 Australian juniors took on Irish counterparts of the same age group yearly from 1998 until 2006, with the series also adjourned in 2007. The Ron Barassi Medal is awarded to the best player from each country in the two-match series, with notable Australian winners including David Neitz (1991), Mark McVeigh (1998), Joel Corey (1999), Luke Hodge (2001), Troy Chaplin (2003) and Joel Selwood (2005).

Contents

[edit] Squads

[edit] 2008

Jim Stynes Medal: Kade Simpson [3]

*Max Rooke was named in the initial squad, but did not play due to illness. He was replaced in the squad for the second game by Josh Hunt. [4]

[edit] 2006 (Tour to Ireland)

[5]

Jim Stynes Medal - Ryan O'Keefe

*Brendan Fevola was an emergency for the first game, but was sent home before the second game due to misconduct in that he was involved in a fight at a pub.[6]

**Lindsay Gilbee and Sam Fisher only played in the first game.

***Brett Peake and David Mundy only played in the second game.[7]

[edit] 2005

Jim Stynes Medal - Andrew McLeod

[edit] 2004 (Tour to Ireland)

[8] [9]

Jim Stynes Medal - Nathan G. Brown

[edit] 2003

Coach:Garry Lyon

Jim Stynes Medal - Brent Harvey

[edit] 2002 (Tour to Ireland)

Jim Stynes Medal: Andrew Kellaway

[edit] 2001

Jim Stynes Medal - Matthew Lloyd

[edit] 2000 (Tour to Ireland)

Jim Stynes Medal - James Hird

[edit] 1999

Jim Stynes Medal - Jason Akermanis

[edit] 1998 (Tour to Ireland)

Jim Stynes Medal - Stephen Silvagni

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lienert, Sam (10 October 2005). "Australia names agile squad". News.com.au. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,16870943-23211,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-17. 
  2. ^ Crowley, Hayden, Selwood in Rules squad; 8 October 2008
  3. ^ AAP (October 31 2008). "Ireland win match and Rules series". The Age. http://news.theage.com.au/sport/ireland-win-match-and-rules-series-20081031-5fl7.html. Retrieved 2008-11-17. 
  4. ^ Josh Hunt joins Aussie squad; 28 October 2008
  5. ^ Australian Panel 2006
  6. ^ Nick Higginbottom, Mark Stevens and Sam Edmund; AFL demands Fevola apology; 2 November 2006
  7. ^ Aussies thump Ireland to regain trophy; RTÉ; 5 November 2006
  8. ^ "Irish terriers tear through Australia" theage.com.au October 26, 2004. URL accessed 7 September 2006
  9. ^ "Irish Lyon gives tour squad seal of approval" abc.net.au October 5, 2004. URL accessed 7 September 2006

[edit] See also

v • d • e
International Rules Series
Tours
Series
1984 | 1986 | 1987 | 1990 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009
Past Venues
Australian
Irish
Participants
Australia | Ireland
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