And just because the Irish are getting flogged at there own game they should just shut up build a bridge and toughen the F#*k up.

im 10 years old.

It needs solid rules which are really lacking and need to be understood and interpreted the same. It was very clear from the 06 games that the officials were on different pages.

The worst thing about the IR series is that its really soured relations between Ireland and Australia to a certain degree. Sadly certain members of the Irish media had made themselves spokespeople for Ireland in Australia. The media went overboard, like some frightened mothers at a playground fight (your Johnny hit my poor Michael).

As Buster said, it got embaressing. Thankfully the players were smart enough to stand up and say they wanted to keep playing. But GAA decision-makers werent impressed, ironic perhaps considering the violence that breaks out at GAA games every other week, “but lets not talk about that”. The associations need to stop pointing fingers and start coming up with ways to stop players from trying to take heads of each other.

Also the difference between both codes ultimately effects how both teams play the IR game. The chlothes line incident in 2005 for instance. A hit like that wouldnt even cross a GAA players mind, thier natural instinct is to shoulder charge. Even the wrap up tackle is alien and something that is difficult to learn given the time restrictions.

What makes it even more difficult is the fact that the GAA players have to fit learning these skills around their commitments to their county, their local club and their day job. AFL players who showed very little difficulty with the round ball in the 07 game would have more available time to master these skills. While there was theething problems in the earlier series i think tis may have been partially due to how serious the Australians took the series.

Take out the Mark and the Tackle out of Aussie Rules and what are you left? Not much . If you used an oval ball IR wouldn’t be far from Aussie rules on a rectangular pitch !

Win an All-Ireland your having a laugh sure we are the ones going over their out playing the Aussie’s at their own game , A game the Irish lads have never played before Clark , Halpin, Kennelly all over their showing you how too play your game .

And the end of the day IR is still very close in terms of overall balance Aussie ahead by one one think?

The last series was a farce. I mean, seriously people, it was Gaelic with behind posts. Tackling was the only thing that made it even remotely Australian. The series had over time leaned more and more to the Irish game until there was nothing Australian left in it. Aussie players were having to not only adjust to the round ball, but were required to solo it and couldn’t even pick it up off the ground. Not exactly what you’d call compromise rules. Take out the mark and tackle and try to tell me what is left of what is arguable the better sport ?

And the irony of it all is that Australians still beat the best of the Irish at their own game ! All of the bickering is basically because the Irish are sore losers. They’d be champing at the bit to play if they were still winning.

Lets just cut the pretence and start entering the poorer AFL clubs in the All-Ireland finals as an off-season junket. They’d no doubt win hands down.

Why not reduce the contact level (and hopefully the potential for biffo) but change the ball to a Sherrin.

The reduced contact will favour the Irish but the ball will restore the balance and favour the Aussies.