International Rules

[Gingernuts]

Irish players not fronting up by the looks of things:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/irish-stars-skip-international-rules-tests-against-australia/story-e6freck3-1226171884709

Personally I think this series is a waste of time and money. It had some novelty value when they first brought it back in, but that has worn off now IMO.

Bring back State Of Origin I say!

[heater31]

They would be getting pissed off that the professional Australians are luring all the amateur Irish away from home.

Would much rather see this disappear an SOO back

[Interceptor]

They would be getting pissed off that the professional Australians are luring all the amateur Irish away from home.

Would much rather see this disappear an SOO back

Most people would, but there's always the issue of clubs holding players back and other opposition saying it's now redundant with a national league.
I think a SoO carnival in October would be preferred by many and well attended, but would take a lot of pressure to make it happen.

At the end of the day it's what the AFL hierarchy want and if people turn up this year for IR (crowd at Metricon will be interesting), they'll say it validates the concept. What we actually need is more Australians to beat the hell out of the Irish so they spit the dummy and want to pull the pin again

[Wedgie]

Interenational Rules has run its race but can be entertaining to watch.
State of Origin is dead and won't come back as players are from all over the nation these days and there's no time to hold it. Probably minimal interest in it outside of SA anyway.

[oldfella]

The bucket of money in Australia has nearly been fully explored --- for the game to grow (read more $$$$) then it must become an international game hence this abortion.

Is it just me but have not all the rule changes by the Awfull since the Irish cried that we play too hard been changes to address their complaints and ensure the progress to an international game - nah I am being cynical

Ohh well on 15 years when a new football league starts which plays an entirely different game to Awfull football - strangely enough this new league plays a retro style of football similar to that which occurred in the mid 90's and is an absolute hit with fans Australia wide

[Q.]

Australia has been fielding a second-rate team for years. Now the Irish consider omitting a couple of good players and it's a problem?

[Wedgie]

I don't know about Australia fielding a second rate team, these days they select players that will suit the game as opposed to the older days when they picked the best australian rules football players some of whom were crap at the hybrid game.
I also don't know about it mirroring the 90s style, IMHO its more of the style that is played now, minimal one on one contests, quick run on style with zone defense.
I think they've done pretty well on the rules front trying to find middle ground between the 2 games (and the fact one side is made up of professional players where the other isn't) and the scores over the years have probably reflected that.

[The Dark Knight]

They would be getting pissed off that the professional Australians are luring all the amateur Irish away from home.

They probably also don't want to embrass our professional footballers on home soil again, I don't think the Irish has ever lost at the MCG in an internationals rules match.

[Q.]

What a joke. Fielding a bunch of C-Graders and getting smashed as a result. Surely this is the end of this bastardisation.

[Jim05]

What a joke. Fielding a bunch of C-Graders and getting smashed as a result. Surely this is the end of this bastardisation.

Spot on.
Embarassing that these spuds get an Aussie guernsey.
Picking guys who cant get a kick for their club, what a joke

[GWW]

Wouldn't miss it at all if they took it away.

Still trying to work out exactly what it proves apart from the fact the Irish play better with a round ball.

[Q.]

What a joke. Fielding a bunch of C-Graders and getting smashed as a result. Surely this is the end of this bastardisation.

Spot on.
Embarassing that these spuds get an Aussie guernsey.
Picking guys who cant get a kick for their club, what a joke

The only thing worse than watching hacks like Douglas, King & Monfries run around, is seeing us get intimidated by the bloody Irish

[Jim05]

What a joke. Fielding a bunch of C-Graders and getting smashed as a result. Surely this is the end of this bastardisation.

Spot on.
Embarassing that these spuds get an Aussie guernsey.
Picking guys who cant get a kick for their club, what a joke

The only thing worse than watching hacks like Douglas, King & Monfries run around, is seeing us get intimidated by the bloody Irish

Bloody Bernie Vince, the guy couldnt get a bloody kick for Woodville early in the year and now he is representing Australia.
Time to bring back Macca, the only time it was good to watch was when we were punching the crap out of the Irish gits

[woodublieve12]

this might sound silly, but we scrap the int rules game and bring in something the NFL do. they call it pro bowl (its there all-star game) but maybe the AFL could hold it after the season in a different location around the country or even internationally... i'd watch it... same concept of the state of origin, but maybe they could put a different twist to it... i.e east vs west...

[southee]

Embarrassing and awful to watch that crap!!!

[Adelaide Hawk]

If they were playing one of these "matches" across the road from my house, I'd walk over to the window and pull down the blind.

[Pup]

What a joke. Fielding a bunch of C-Graders and getting smashed as a result. Surely this is the end of this bastardisation.

Spot on.

I watched the first 5 minutes and turned it over.

[Bag The Points]

If they were playing one of these "matches" across the road from my house, I'd walk over to the window and pull down the blind.

Gold

[Johno6]

i watched bout ten mins.... thought it was the curtain raiser for the main game..........................

australias team had the same star power as celebrity apprentice

[FlyingHigh]

this might sound silly, but we scrap the int rules game and bring in something the NFL do. they call it pro bowl (its there all-star game) but maybe the AFL could hold it after the season in a different location around the country or even internationally... i'd watch it... same concept of the state of origin, but maybe they could put a different twist to it... i.e east vs west...

No idea is silly. The one catch will always be to get the people who put on the game to embrace it, like the Rugby League SOO, the NFL as you mentioned, and correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the NBL All-star games are pretty big too?
Taking that sort of game internationally would be a great idea IMO.