Ireland discover BBB

[snajik]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Hey Snajik - that was DPW that was putting down the Perth game, not me. I was misquoted. Rather, Friday was the first time I'd seen an international rules game and I loved it. Even watched it again last night.

Apologies GS, that wasn't my intention. I've known for some time now that you are one of the more sentient posters in this forum.

[Go Swannies]

Thanks but if that was true someone would occasionally agree with me.

Has anyone got any thoughts on the difference it will make that Swans players are now being taken seriously? If you look at BigFooty you'll see that several people think the Swannies will be in the Grand Final next year and there is considerable talk that Goodes is already a superstar with lots of room to improve.

Now we have newspapers across the country (and the world, well Ireland) saying that Barry was the star of the IR Perth game. And even the Hun has noticed Kirk's talent and jokes about how he was tagging Buckley at a boozy function and there was no surprise that Buckley couldn't shake him off!

Could be tricky to suprise anyone in 2004.

[liz]

Originally posted by Go Swannies


Could be tricky to suprise anyone in 2004.

True, but I think the Lions stopped surprising everyone a few years ago and it hasn't done them any harm.

[cos789]

I was lucky enough to be at Subiaco on Friday night .It had the atmosphere of a footy game untill a goal was scored and then the crowd really went off .Then late in the game a chant of "Aussie" louder than any club chant I've heard .

Anyway from a Swans view one wonders whether these games can bring a new dimension to some players .Barry Hall was in his natural element ,but Kirk and Leo Barry seemed to gain a new confidence and expertise that they could carry over to club games .

[j s]

Re: Re: No Tadhg?

Originally posted by lizz
He had an operation - hernia I think - a few weeks ago.

There is an "Official" IR site here....

http://www.setanta.com/international_rules/index.html

....with an article about Tadhg's disappointment at not playing.

[jixygirl]

Thanks for the site, I been trying to find a site about the international rules series for a while. At least know I know why Kenelley's not playing. For the people who went to the match on the Friday night, what was the atmosphere like after the game, when everybody in the stands were cheering their hearts out. It looked like a great place to be.

[EMJ]

Two friends of mine living in Perth tell me the game was electric - we missed a lot of Barry Hall apparently he was even better than what we saw. On the field his positional play was fantastic.
The game was the best football game they have ever attended for any code.
So says a lot - - generally my friends said the Swans players were on top for their playing.

[sharp9]

That's the thing that I really enjoyed, during this game it was taken for granted that Swans players were in the first rank of the Australian Football team. All of a sudden the whole country wants Leapin', Captain and BBB to be on their team. Very cool. What a turnatound in 12 months.

[peterh_oz]

Re: Re: Ireland discover BBB

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dpw
[B]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Sorry,


I've been a bit surprised by the lack of interest to the IR game on RWO considering BBB, the Captain, Leaping and Jared featured so prominantly.


Not really its good to see the swans players running around but all I cared about was making sure they weren't injured. I mean can anyone really take this game to seriously a bunch of full time footy players beating up some part-time Irishman, I think I will watch the World cup and the cricket.

anyone know how long before the next swans game Iam already suffering withdrawls.

1. I LOVE it.

2. I hope we get one in Sydney one day.

3. I might even travel to the home Tests in 2yrs.

4. Did I mention I LOVE it?

For those that don't love them, fair enough. Lets hope the "I hope they don't get injured" brigade (read: Melbourne Media) don't kill this with negativity and blinkered viewings like they killed State of Origin. HOWEVER what is the point of the All-Australian team these days? Now that there IS an Australian Team, why not retire A-A gracefully?

[peterh_oz]

Originally posted by BAM_BAM
I had a giggle when Baz first attempted to mark, only to give away a free. He then stood with that I don't believe it look on his face. Things don't change much regardless of the code.

Until he realised that the umpires point their arms the "opposite" direction in Gaelic & Int.Rules. ie like Soccer, the arm is pointed towards the goal, not towards the fullback.

His face, when it was explained by our ump, was "oh for ****'s sake ... I should think so! Sorry mate". VERY comical!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

International Rules-I loved it!

In Sydney we didn't get to sleep until 3am when the telecast finished, but I was getting more an more into it by the time it was completed.

We cannot and should not ignore the fact that these matches are NOT mickey mouse exhibition fixtures any longer but are fair dinkum sporting contests between the best players of both respective sports. The tears on the faces of the wee Paddies gave testament to that, as were the whoops of elation from the Aussies.

I still think the concept could be remodelled a tad, as I think that it is still a bit crazy and confusing. Even if the crowd seemed to go mental when Harvey put their strange-looking 6 point penalty through.

I didn't like the Aussie strip. And the Irish one, complete with its completely Irish Coca Cola *NOT*sponsorship on the front. looked very very crap. What is wrong with us playing in mainly gold and Ireland green? Watching Australia play in blue just doesn't do it for me. And short sleeves, please. We are representing our game, not soccer or rugby league.

As has been intimated, I think we'd be mad not to have a look at a few of the Paddies as potential AFL recruits. In Sydney we pride ourselves on being a tad ideosyncratic, so that skilful Mcdonnell bloke would be a very interesting addition to the Swans, even if had to play in the SFL/ACTAFL for a while to develop his kicking/marking/ tackling skills. As Tadgh has shown, you CAN succeed. But gaelic footballers are still very much stabs in the dark in many respects.

Some of our players really seemed to struggle with the concept of the round ball. Whilst Daniel Wells, Brent Harvey and Shane Crawford seemed quite comfortable following the flight of it, guys like Matthew Pavlich (not suited at all to IR) simply did not get any sort of grasp at how to kick for goal. I was surprised that more players didn't attempt to kick it drop kick style as one of the little leprechauns did with great success.

From what I heard, the only support from the Aussies was the Bay 13 cricket fans chanting Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi then Here we Go etc. I assume that most of the singing around the ground was from the Irish. Still it sounded excellent.

A few of the compromise rulings seemed somewhat puzzling. First I see no reason as to why the Aussie 6 point goal was disallowed in the first quarter. Eddie was constantly saying that you aren't allowed to touch the Goalie, yet I thought it was the goalie kind of shoving the Aussie bloke.

I found the holding the ball/push in the back rules very puzzling. It seemed that sometimes a blatant push in the back was totally let go. Yet when an Aussie grabbed an Irish bloke and slung him around he got pinged for doing so.

The ruling I found the strangest to understand/get used to was that a player would be pinged if he held the ball under him. At one stage Glen Jakovich, who I thought did pretty well as "goalie" (whatever that is?), made a brave dive at the ball in his goalsquare/penalty area thing yet was penalised for doing so. However interestingly this rule led to far far less pack than you'd see in a modern day AFL match. Maybe the AFL could think about implementing something similar?

I think it would have been far better had we had a mixture of the Irish and Aussie commentary teams. Having Brian Taylor Eddie & Dermie there made it feel just like a AFL match. Dull, boring, everyday. Listening to those cult-sounding Paddy commentators would have been far more interesting, and a far better representation of the unique internationalness of the series. Also we'd have had a better understanding of not only the rules of Gaelic Football but the culture and possibly the personalities of the Irish national sport as well.

The fixture has left an impression with me. It is no longer a kick & giggle hybrid practise match, but a fiercely-fought and highly unique sporting occasion.

I'd like to learn more about Gaelic football. Can you see it on Aussie TV?

Anyway, to our quick-witted Paddy friends (even O'Neill), thanks for making Bigfooty fun over the last couple of weeks.

Slainte, as they say.

JF

PS:- Like Peter, I'm thinking of turning up to Melbourne & maybe even Adelaide for the IR series next year. Maybe if the Cheer Squads League mothers group got their act together, we could organise an Australian Cheer Squad, with Fremantle bringing their green floggers and either Richmond or the Lions bringing their yellow ones. (And Carlton maybe bringing their blue ones as well.) I was disappointed that there was no banner on Friday as well.

[aflconvert]

I thought it was a great game too even f I didnt have your staying power , Julian ( I had to settle for recording the game and watching it on Saturday afternoon)

Three points I'd like to make

1. I agree totally about the blue Aussie jerseys - they just dont look right. Blue and gold were our official colours for many years but theyre not now and no sporting team ever wore blue and gold anyway ; the real colours have always been green and gold . So given that Irish colours and green,gold and white and ours and green and gold green for Ireland and gold for Australia would be better ( like last nights Rubgy game )

2. I'd liike to see best of 3 games (with first score in extra time wins in event of a draw )- seeing our guys go beserk after losing the game because the 2 game-total scores were in our favour left me feeling a bit flat

3. Game in Sydney - please

[lescygnes]

why there wasnt a game of the IR series in Sydney just defies logic.

how the hell are the AFL going to push the game in NSW and Qld when there isnt a game of the IR in either state????

further proof that the AFL hasnt got the balls to really push the game away from the heartland.

all IMHO!!!!

cheers
John

[anne]

There would be no point having a game in Sydney as hardly anyone would go.

[lescygnes]

GARBAGE!!!!!