Pace the key to International Rules series
SHAUN BURGOYNE believes Australia has the pace to defeat Ireland in Friday night’s first International Rules clash at Subiaco Oval.
The Port Adelaide midfielder is one of several fleet-footed runners selectors favoured over brawn for the two-Test series.
"It would be interesting to see if we had a 100m sprint race because everyone seems to be quick," Burgoyne said at a media conference earlier today.
"So that's obviously going to be an advantage of ours and we want to take that into the game whether we are on the attack and we're running down the field with the ball or we're chasing them from behind to tackle them.
"Everybody brings that X-factor to the team, whether they can jump or they've got exceptional speed or they're great at tackling. We've got a number of hard players as well. It's just a great thing to play with these players because you want to play with the best players in the comp."
Burgoyne said the Australian team had gelled well in the time they had gone to camp, as well as the Aboriginal boys in the team -- himself, Daniel Motlop, Matt Campbell, Roger Hayden and Daniel Wells.
"A few of the Indigenous boys have played together in the All-Stars games (in Darwin) so we are pretty good friends already and the boys bring a lot of speed and excitement to the game and hopefully they can do that on the weekend for Australia," he said.
David Rodan, in his first game for Australia, said the Aboriginal players would give Australia an edge.
"A lot of the Indigenous blokes in our team are very creative and a lot of Gaelic football is about one-on-one contests, and they seem to thrive on it and they are very much looking forward to playing," Rodan said.
While Burgoyne and Rodan talked up pace as a key factor for Australia, Fremantle defender Hayden said the Irish should also be wary of Australia's physicality.
"That's our game plan," Hayden said on Tuesday.
"We're a physical side and that's the way we play in the AFL, so they'll have the skill on us, but we'll have the physicality."
But Hayden was fully aware of the over-the-top physical play that caused the cancellation of the series, sparked by lightweight Danyle Pearce's 'sling' tackle that knocked out broad-shouldered Irish hard man Graham Geraghty in Ireland in 2006.
"We've just got to watch what we do, tackle within the laws of the game and take it from there," Hayden said.
"That (slinging) is pretty much a yellow card and if you do that sort of stuff you'll be off for 10-15 minutes. Then you just disappoint the team and put us on the back foot."
Australia played a relatively light practice match in Perth on Monday.
"We were probably just looking after each other (on Monday) but I think when Friday comes the tackling will be pretty ferocious," Hayden said.
"They're going to be pretty skilful with the round ball so we've got to be pretty conscious of not running forward and turning the ball over and leaving our (goalkeeper) by himself. We've just got to watch what we do and run off and create at the right time."
Tickets for the series are on sale at the
TicketMaster website, by calling 1300 136 122 or at a Ticketmaster outlet.
Both Tests, Perth's on Friday night and Melbourne's the following week, will be televised on Channel 7.
McLeod has surgery; out of action for three months
INDIGENOUS AFL games record-holder Andrew McLeod is expected to be sidelined until January after undergoing surgery on his battered right knee today.
The procedure was reportedly aimed at 'cushioning the joint' to ease any further pain and extend the 32-year-old's career to a 15th year.
McLeod missed just two games last season because of the knee injury which at one stage almost forced him into retirement.
The dual premiership player and Norm Smith medallist has played 304 AFL games, all with Adelaide, since his debut with the club in 1995.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Last Modified on 22/10/2008 22:02