Montagna - only Saint in IRS squad

[Bono]

The team is:

Nathan Bock (Adelaide),
Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs),
Jared Brennan (Brisbane Lions),
Campbell Brown (Hawthorn),
Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide),
Matt Campbell (North Melbourne),
Ryan Crowley (Fremantle),
Michael Firrito (North Melbourne),
Nathan Foley (Richmond),
Brent Harvey (North Melbourne),
Roger Hayden (Fremantle),
Leigh Montagna (St Kilda),
Daniel Motlop (Port Adelaide),
Marc Murphy (Carlton),
Michael Osborne (Hawthorn),
Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood),
Drew Petrie (North Melbourne),
David Rodan (Port Adelaide),
Max Rooke (Geelong),
Brad Sewell (Hawthorn),
Kade Simpson (Carlton),
Adam Selwood (West Coast),
Dale Thomas (Collingwood),
Scott Thompson (Adelaide),
Daniel Wells (North Melbourne).

[Ralphy]

wow,
Congrats Joey!!!

[Otiman]

I thought it was AA team + extras?

[Ralphy]

It is

[saintm]

I thought it was AA team + extras?

Not sure they select it that way anymore. I think when Sheedy took over it became more "horses for courses".

[RedWhiteBlack]

Well done Joey.

I thought BJ might have got a look in.

[marksnsparks]

I'm glad no more St K players are involved.

We don't need injuries to key players in a dumb game that is worth less than the NAB cup.

[ctqs]

I'm glad no more St K players are involved.

We don't need injuries to key players in a dumb game that is worth less than the NAB cup.

Correct. It's a joke and they should dump it. It's not our game. It's not our best players. Can someone remind me again, who was our goalkeeper in the team of the century?

[st_Trav_ofWA]

they sure have changed the make up of the team after our last loss to the irish .... fast skillful players the must big dominant marking players not required

[degruch]

Pffft...International Rules, what a crock. Shouldn't the AFL be throwing money into developing AFL internationally? I know it does, but if they put MORE money into it, we might have a skillful PNG or South African team to pit against in the future, not this over glorified running netball thing.

[saint66au]

I went to the last game at TD

Crowd was more removed from an AFL crowd than one-day cricket is to tests. Very few people over 30 and pretty much an "Oi Oi Oi" pseudo-jingoisitc beat up. Mexican waves by the dozen and ground invaders said it all about how anyone actually cared about the actual game.

[saint24601]

Can somebody tell me why they are allowed to call the team "Australia" and wear the australian coat of arms??
Isn't it more acurate to call them the "AFL"? When were the selection trials? Who says the AFL players are even that good at the game?
Why don't they have a proper goalkeeper, not just Nathan Bock or whoever they pick who plays in the backline usually so therefore they must be better than a soccer goalkeepr, or a futsal goalkeeper or a hockey goalkeeper or a water polo goalkeeper?

[GrumpyOne]

Can somebody tell me why they are allowed to call the team "Australia" and wear the australian coat of arms??
Isn't it more acurate to call them the "AFL"? When were the selection trials? Who says the AFL players are even that good at the game?
Why don't they have a proper goalkeeper, not just Nathan Bock or whoever they pick who plays in the backline usually so therefore they must be better than a soccer goalkeepr, or a futsal goalkeeper or a hockey goalkeeper or a water polo goalkeeper?

I don't think that we could muster a Gaelic Football team in Australia that could match the best of the Irish. Therefore I am quite happy for these boys to represent my country in this hybrid sport.

Your point about goalkeepers has merit though. It is a specialised position that can win or lose matches. Many AFL players would have the talent to play that position, but you can't expect excellence between the sticks on a couple of training sessions.

I wonder if thought has been given to including a goalkeeper from a top level soccer team?

[stinger]

sh!t concept playing against a bunch of pussies who start a bawl then whinge and want to take their ball home with them ffs......i was hoping the idea had died........but dimwit and his monkey ..........and their hangers on........ like overseas trips don't they.?....at our expense........tell me ...what as the fat turd at the olympics for again....????.......

and who paid....??

[Animal Enclosure]

I went to both games in Ireland in 2002 & had an absolute ball in the pouring rain.

It's just a bit of fun & an exciting game to watch when there's no Chris Johnson thuggery.

[TassieJones]

A squad full of good ordinary players whilst stars like Roo, Judd, Ablett, Pav etc. stay at home firms the international rules series in my mind as a complete joke. Seriously, who gives a flying f*** about playing a bunch of soft amateurs at a bulls*** game.

The worst part is that the AFL will do anything it can to continue this concept yet point blank refuses to reinstate State of Origin. If the clubs and players can find the time to play this joke of a game I'm sure they could manage a biannual State of Origin series. But no, who cares about tradition and what the fans want when we could 'grow the game'

I bloody hate the AFL

[degruch]

A squad full of good ordinary players whilst stars like Roo, Judd, Ablett, Pav etc. stay at home firms the international rules series in my mind as a complete joke. Seriously, who gives a flying f*** about playing a bunch of soft amateurs at a bulls*** game.

The worst part is that the AFL will do anything it can to continue this concept yet point blank refuses to reinstate State of Origin. If the clubs and players can find the time to play this joke of a game I'm sure they could manage a biannual State of Origin series. But no, who cares about tradition and what the fans want when we could 'grow the game'

I bloody hate the AFL

Personally, I can't see how it grows the game much...no-one plays this hybrid thing in Ireland, make 'em play AFL and they're hopeless. They are 20,000kms away and would rather watch Rugby and soccer.

There are Asian and African countries that love proper Aussie rules...can't the AFL set up a comp to pit say, an Australian seconds all-star team, against the international champions? Sure, it'd be a bit one sided for a while, but if you had guys like Natanui start to filter through and play for Fiji, they'd start to improve. Plus, sharing the home ground between nations could spur on tourism and really push the sport internationally. Granted, it's not as exotic a location for Dimwit and his mates as Ireland, but that's what I'd call 'growing the game'.

Personally, I always hated State of Origin, it never proved anything, and no-one wanted to risk missing the rest of the season with injury because Ted Whitten reckoned they were soft for not wanting to represent their state. Bollocks to that I say...I'd rather Australia vs Japan any day!

[makemytime]

Note that Max Rooke is the only Geelong player in the squad and Buddy isn't even in here. Although there is Harvey and S. Burgoyne, most of the others are from the middle-tier (Joey obviously not included)

[saintbrat]

Buddy has had double surgery- so would not be fit

Good luck Joey- I've never been But am thinking of going this year

[True Blue Sainter]

Note that Max Rooke is the only Geelong player in the squad and Buddy isn't even in here. Although there is Harvey and S. Burgoyne, most of the others are from the middle-tier (Joey obviously not included)

Joey is a middle-tier player in the AFL?

[makemytime]

Note that Max Rooke is the only Geelong player in the squad and Buddy isn't even in here. Although there is Harvey and S. Burgoyne, most of the others are from the middle-tier (Joey obviously not included)

Joey is a middle-tier player in the AFL?

(Joey obviously not included in the group of middle-tier players)

[True Blue Sainter]

Note that Max Rooke is the only Geelong player in the squad and Buddy isn't even in here. Although there is Harvey and S. Burgoyne, most of the others are from the middle-tier (Joey obviously not included)

Joey is a middle-tier player in the AFL?

(Joey obviously not included in the group of middle-tier players)

I was being serious! I reckon there's at least 10 on that list as good or better than Joey...

[Spinner]

I love International Rules - Great game to play (So easy to read the bounce of the ball)

[Con Gorozidis]

Note that Max Rooke is the only Geelong player in the squad and Buddy isn't even in here. Although there is Harvey and S. Burgoyne, most of the others are from the middle-tier (Joey obviously not included)

Joey is a middle-tier player in the AFL?

joey is middle tier yeah.

[Eastern]

I wonder how many (and the names of) saints players who made themselves unavailable !!