2005 International Rules Series
Action from the second test in Melbourne
EventInternational Rules Series
163–106 on aggregate, Australia win series 2–0
First test
Date21 October 2005
VenueSubiaco Oval, Perth
RefereeMatthew James (Australia)
David Coldrick (Ireland)
Attendance39,098 (Sell Out)
Second test
Date28 October 2005
VenueDocklands Stadium, Melbourne
RefereeMatthew James (Australia)
Michael Collins (Ireland)
Attendance45,428

The 2005 International Rules Series was the 12th annual International Rules Series and the 14th time that a test series of international rules football was played between Ireland and Australia and was won by Australia.[1][2]

The 2005 series involved two test matches in Australia, the first in Perth (which was a sell-out) and a second test in Melbourne which was controversial due to the on field actions of the Australian team.

Previous series

Starting with the first official senior-level International Rules Series was played between players from the Australian rules football leagues and the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1984, the Irish had won 7 of the previous series to Australia's 6. Coming into the series, the Irish held the Cormac McAnallen Cup after their 2004 whitewash of the Australians at Croke Park in Dublin.

2005 series

The Melbourne test was played at the Telstra Dome rather than the Melbourne Cricket Ground, unlike previous series in Australia, since the MCG was preparing to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games. By 1 August 2005, a vast majority of the tickets for the Perth test had been sold. When the matches were last played in Australia in 2003, over 100,000 people attended the two tests in Perth and Melbourne, underscoring the popularity of the series with Australian football fans.

The Ireland team was managed by former County Down manager Pete McGrath, an All Ireland winning manager, while the AFL appointed long-serving Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy as its new head coach, to replace Garry Lyon, who had been in charge of the Australians from 2001 to 2004.

The Irish suffered a blow to their attempt to retain the cup when Sydney Swans backfielder and team mainstay Tadhg Kennelly (originally from County Kerry) was unable for selection due to a nagging ankle injury that he was playing through during the Swans' run to the AFL premiership. In a departure from previous years, the Australians selected a team specifically for these games, rather than giving automatic selection to members of the All Australian Team. Another Irishman who has played in the AFL, Jim Stynes, assisted with selection and planning, giving insight into the Irish game as he has in previous years.

The series was comprehensively won by the Australians. In the first test, they outplayed the Irish in all aspects of the game, including speed and kicking the round ball, which are traditionally strengths of the Irish players. Kicking 2 goals and 27 overs, Australia became the first team to score 100 points in an international rules test. Australian umpire Mathew James attracted some criticism from the Irish press for applying the 20 metre penalty rule more strictly than expected by the Irish.

The Irish team was more competitive in the second test, in which there were several brawls and Australian captain Chris Johnson was sent off. However, they still lost by 21 points, meaning that Australia won the series on aggregate by 57 points.

Fixtures

Squads

Australia Ireland
Name Team Position Name Team Position
Heath BlackFremantleSeán CavanaghTyrone
Amon BuchananSydney SwansBrian DooherTyrone
Trent CroadHawthornPhillip JordanTyrone
Aaron DaveyMelbourneBrian McGuiganTyrone
Nick DavisSydney SwansRyan McMenaminTyrone
Brett DeledioRichmondOwen MulliganTyrone
Nathan EagletonWestern BulldogsStephen O'NeillTyrone
Dustin FletcherEssendonEoin BrosnanKerry
Daniel GiansiracusaWestern BulldogsColm CooperKerry
Lindsay GilbeeWestern BulldogsTomás Ó SéKerry
Shannon GrantKangaroosGraham CantyCork
Brent HarveyKangaroosAnthony LynchCork
Luke HodgeHawthornSeán Óg Ó hAilpínCork
Chris Johnson (C)1Brisbane LionsMichael McVeighDown
Matthew LappinCarltonBrendan CoulterDown
Andrew LovettEssendonDavid HeaneyMayo
Andrew McLeod (C)1AdelaideCiarán McDonaldMayo
Troy MakepeaceKangaroosPádraic Joyce (C)Galway
Darren MilburnGeelongMichael MeehanGalway
Brent MoloneyMelbourneTom KellyLaois
Dale MorrisWestern BulldogsRoss MunnellyLaois
Chris NewmanRichmondRónán ClarkeArmagh
Ryan O'KeefeSydney SwansBryan CullenDublin
Russell RobertsonMelbourneDessie DolanWestmeath
Jarrad WaiteCarltonMattie FordeWexford
Daniel Wells³KangaroosCiaran McManusOffaly
Kepler Bradley²EssendonSeán Marty LockhartDerry

[3]

1 – Australia named McLeod and Johnson as co-captains for the side.
² – Withdrawal replacement for Essendon's Matthew Lloyd.
³ – Officially ruled out for the first Test.

Matches

First test (21 October)

Team1234Total
Australia0.8.11.12.42.19.72.27.7(100)
Ireland0.4.30.7.81.7.93.11.13(64)
Australia won by 36G.O.PG.O.PG.O.PG.O.PFinal
Date Friday, 21 October 2005
Scoring (AUS) Goals: Lovett, Johnson

Overs: Grant 3, Davis 3, Hodge 3, Lovett 3,
O'Keefe 2, Gilbee 2, Giansiracusa 2, Davey 2,
Johnson, Eagleton, Lappin, Croad,
Harvey, Buchanan, Newman

Scoring (IRL) Goals: Coulter 2, Cavanagh

Overs: O'Neill 3, Clarke 3, Cavanagh 2,
Coulter, Forde, McDonald

Best AUS: Harvey, McLeod, Hodge, Giansiracusa,
Davis, Lovett, Newman, Davey, Gilbee
IRL: Coulter, Cavanagh, O'Neill
Injuries Nil
Venue Subiaco Oval, Perth, WA
Attendance 39,098
Umpires Mathew James (Australia), David Coldrick (Ireland)

Second test (28 October)

Team1234Total
Australia0.3.20.9.40.11.70.18.9(63)
Ireland0.4.10.5.30.8.80.11.9(42)
Australia won by 21G.O.PG.O.PG.O.PG.O.PFinal
Date Friday, 28 October 2005
Scoring (AUS) Goals: Nil

Overs: O'Keefe 4, Lappin 3, Lovett 2, Davis 2, Grant 2,
Buchanan, Davey, Lovett, Giansiracusa, Makepeace

Scoring (IRL) Goals: Nil

Overs: Munnelly 2, Cavanagh 2, Clarke 2, Dolan,
Joyce, McManus, McDonald

Best AUS: Lappin, McLeod, Fletcher, Lovett, Gilbee,
Giansiracusa, O'Keefe, Eagleton

IRL: Kelly, McVeigh, Munnelly, Cavanagh, Canty

Injuries Nil
Venue Telstra Dome, Melbourne, VIC
Attendance 45,428
Umpires Mathew James (Australia), Michael Collins (Ireland)

See also

References

  1. "International Rules – Series 12 – 2005 – Australia". Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  2. "Tarik's International Rules Football". Archived from the original on 22 March 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.|
  3. "McGrath names International Rules squad". Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
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