The GAA has confirmed that tickets for the Second Test of the Coca Cola International Rules in Croke Park on Sunday next, November 5th have sold out.
In excess of 82,000 people will now attend the game. This is a record for an International in any sport in Ireland.
How great is this. Compare this crowd with the crowd in attendance for the Rugby League tri-nations series match between Australia and Great Britain in the so-called Rugby League heartland of the world, Sydney this weekend.
I find this game so boring....there is no violence and the Irish are stupid people...Bring back the Indigenous All Stars games each year and fuck the Irish off!
Gaelic Football used to have a very violent history many years ago, much of what the GAA was created for was in order to tone down their game and make it into a skills based game with very little physicality other than athletic ability. Personally the GAA won't have much choice other than to consider ending the International Rules series if they want to avoid their own game reverting to past bad habits. Both the Irish and Aussies are equally to blame, both hot headed teams, both hate the other side with a fair bit of passion in games.
I think the series has always been a waste of time anyway. It's not a true reflection of our game, our players aren't representing their country in the game they play professionally, it's merely a marketing exercise that benefits the AFL more than the GAA. We can scout the Irish players and look to import some to our game, it never happens in reverse. The pinnacle of our game has always been the State of Origin contests that were simply cast aside by the AFL due to the bullshit that sprang from too many top class players being kept out of the games by their clubs. Personally there is nothing better than pulling on your state guernsey and knuckling down to kick the arses of your interstate rivals. No club allegiences, just state pride...we need to bring back true State of Origin. There are more than enough quality players to represent all the major states, even NSW and QLD (and NT I'm sure). State of Origin is like a Grand Final except you're not playing for a trophy, you're playing for blood and pride. Get all the best players in their natural positions, on the field and let war be had over a three week period...that's my vision of ultimate footy. The AFL would reap huge financial rewards from it and the crowds would be amazing...every fan of footy loves their state and they would kill to see the best they have produced, play against the best the other states have as well.
Personally there is nothing better than pulling on your state guernsey and knuckling down to kick the arses of your interstate rivals. No club allegiences, just state pride...we need to bring back true State of Origin.
I'm all for a return of state of origin as long as NSW, QLD, ACT, NT and TAS aren't amalgamated for a revival of the Allies.
Each state and territory deserves their own representative team. Who could ever forget NSW beating the VICs at the SCG.
No amalgamation, don't ever want to see a revival of that idiotic "Allies" formula. Stupid concept by a Victorian dominated AFL administration who still held the belief that only a "rest of australia" could possibly offer the Vics a real challenge. As for states, I would have to say that ACT is part of NSW and can't stand on their own, it'd just be NSW as a whole and they'd be a pretty fearsome foe (I used to coach in the country leagues there and only an idiot would state that NSW doesn't have quality domestic league footballing talent). NT and Qld can definitely stand on their own merits and would be ready for full blown Origin matches. The only doubtful one would be Tassie, not sure if they could compete at a full blown origin level and there ain't that many AFL players from Tassie really (that I can recall anyway). However, if there are more than say, 24 that are of AFL quality, current or past, then by all means, sure, give Tassie a go at Origin level.
Anything to get rid of the stupid concept that is the International Rules...bring back Origin, the fans of footy have been denied far too long.
