The Oz Factor RTE

the ag man

I'm looking forward to this program, hopefully it'll throw aussie rules in this country into the public forum. Which I think with the right marketing approach could have the ARFLI Premiership up there with the irish basketball "superleague". Have it recognised by the Irish sports council and have it developed to a point that Ireland could not only regain the International cup but export home developed aussie rules players to oz .

I think it's upto the ARFLI management board to grasp the public interest in the sport especially if they are serious in their quest to make it something other than an expat run-a-round. Have the ARFLI premiere squad challenge local GAA teams to Inter-rules matches in areas where ARFLI seek to grow. Get a online shop set up so people can buy AFL balls or guernseys (or better still get the AFL to broker a deal with Lifestyle/champion/elverys). Have ARFLI mentioned on OB sport or even only as a 30sec flash ad during the weekly round highlights on TG4 anything at all to stop Ricky Nixon and 2006 thuggery being the face of Aussie rules football in Ireland forever.

I believe Aussie rules has the attributes to be a very popular sport in Ireland as it is fast,physical and free flowing.

abakan

the ag man wrote: »

attributes to be a very popular sport in Ireland as it is fast,physical and free flowing.

O you mean like GAA is.

We have our own sport and it's ours. I presume your not from Ireland and by the way you come across in your text your very much an Oz'ie

GAA is part of our culture and part of every community and as such Oz'ie rules will never make it into grass roots Ireland and then to hand pick players out off.I dont see up to 80000 people in any part of the world attending an amature sport to see amature's play.

What I can see happening is what is currently happening - Agents come and hand pick the best talent from here and hopefully they make it in Oz.
But the players that dont make it in Oz will come back fitter, stronger players to benefit our game

the ag man

To start I'm Irish born and bred.

I do like the GAA and what they did for the country, Gaelic football has gone down the toilets, everytime I watch it I switch off, with blanket defence sloppy handpasses and often times what are fair shoulders are blown up for no reason (so in my opinion no it's not physical it's begining to become totally non-contact). I love hurling it is truly indiginous, even a cursory glance into gaelic football's history shows it as the GAA's reaction agains rugby and soccer and caid Ireland only truly indiginous football code was more like dissorganised aussie rules.

I don't think Aussie Rules should usurp Gaelic football, I don't think it could, it could however grow to be just another sport in Ireland with both junior and senior players able to represent their local team and country.

legend73

Im from Oz, the GAA could benefit from a tackle, it frustrates me with the fleet footed guys solo-ing around and able to dance around players until 3 blokes get into a group orgy of a hug to make him release it. That being said the hurling is a much more gladiatorial sport that is highly skilled and fast and when played by two even teams is one of the best sports in the world.

abakan

Well what do you expect with sloppy play.
All the best player are being poached by "Austrailian Rules" rugby and soccer.

They pay money!!!!!! for playing.

So you are contracting yourself in terms - GAA is crap because the best players dont play.

Your obviously not Irish when you want to watch another foreign sports and not support your own country code.

With 5 posts to your name - you are in here to stirr up trouble so &(^K off to Austrailia.

legend73

Dont get so excited - everyone is entitiled to an opinion, even one as astute as yourself cannot be censored, although for the foul mouth its into the book and a yellow card.... tutu

the ag man

I watch any ulster gaelic match it's all sloppy handpasses bring back the fist only rule or at least a definite striking action! No wonder Mickey Hearte wants only Ulster refs at Ulster matches!

Any county player is well drilled on how to play the game, he/she sacrifices a lot of time just to pull on the jersey of a sunday. The game is being pushed into an ugly phased by ruthless bainsteoirs desperate for a win. There's less than a dozen lads below in Oz. I can only think of only 3 former minor GAA sports people who represent Ireland in rugby. I believe if people are dissatisfied with a sport they are free to pick another which would suit them better.

Again I'm Irish born and bred, my post count has no say on how valid (or invalid) my opinions are this board is for dicussion, I intend to discuss.

P.S I'm irish enough to know that if a cat ****es on a cavan man's dinner he'll eat around it

Xavi6

abakan wrote: »

Well what do you expect with sloppy play.
All the best player are being poached by "Austrailian Rules" rugby and soccer.

That's a sweeping statement that is absolute bollox.

Taking Dublin alone, both Mark Vaughan and Bernard Brogan could easily have pursued good careers in soccer. Jason Sherlock actually did for a while before concentrating on the game he loves most. Sure going further afield, weren't Graham Geraghty and Anthony Tohill over in England at a young age? Only thing stopping them from making a career in the League of Ireland was their own preferences.

Yes there are players lost, but it's certainly not ALL, and it works both ways too.

They pay money!!!!!! for playing.

Money isn't everything. I'm sure GAA players who train 5 nights a week while working a 40 hour week will confirm that.

So you are contracting yourself in terms - GAA is crap because the best players dont play.

Lies

Your obviously not Irish when you want to watch another foreign sports and not support your own country code.

I much prefer AFL to GAA. How un-Irish of me.

Soccer fan as well by any chance? Are you an advocate of the League of Ireland?

With 5 posts to your name - you are in here to stirr up trouble so &(^K off to Austrailia.

I'd advise you not to post something like that again.

hunter164

Xavi6 wrote: »

weren't Graham Geraghty and Anthony Tohill over in England at a young age?

I know Geraghty was asked over to Arsenal after being seen playing for Meath. He went over for the laugh and was never pursuing a career in soccer.

Orizio

hunter164 wrote: »

I know Geraghty was asked over to Arsenal after being seen playing for Meath. He went over for the laugh and was never pursuing a career in soccer.

Damn shame for the people of Ireland that.

Athough its frustrating to see some of the better young players leave the GAA, its nice to see them succeed elsewhere, and all of them have the option to come home if it doesn't work out, so its a bit of a win/win for them, and just as long as its a trickle rather then a downpour then it won't bother me. Absolutely nothing the GAA can do regardless.

Nixon striked me as a bit of a dick though. Personality wise.

coup1917

abakan wrote: »

Your obviously not Irish when you want to watch another foreign sports and not support your own country code.

With 5 posts to your name - you are in here to stirr up trouble so &(^K off to Austrailia.

That has got to be one of the daftest comments I've read on boards....
Its this sort of negative attitude that promotes the image of the 'thick Irish Paddy'. ..
Maybe you should start watching a few foreign sports, it might improve the old spelling....:rolleyes:

abakan

yes that was a bit of a sweeping statement alrite yesterday - however things are better today.
You have come up with your own daft comment....... watching sports helps you improve spelling!!!!

coup1917

abakan wrote: »

yes that was a bit of a sweeping statement alrite yesterday - however things are better today.
You have come up with your own daft comment....... watching sports helps you improve spelling!!!!

Ah, not exactly what I was thinking........ I just meant you might have seen more Australia and less Austrailia/Austrailian..........

I should have spelt it out so to speak but point taken..........

bruschi

think Xavi addressed the ridiculousness of abakans post there. Claiming the best GAA players around are off playing Aussie Rules and soccer. Aye, I'm sure they are. There is what, about 10 players in Australia now? And of the starters (of which there are only 2 at present) one of them is a hurler and not a footballer. I think the main thing for the lads going over is if it isnt working out, then there is no shame in coming back having given it a go. Aisake was there for 4 years and was absolute muck and wasnt within an asses roar of making the first 22 of the worst team in the league. If the brother wasnt there I'd say he'd have left long before he did, or at least I hope he would.

Begley might be struggling this year. Still hasnt broken into the St Kilda side and could well finish up. Brendan Murphy has been plagued with injuries, so I'm sure he'd like to see how it would go if he had a good run. Pierce Hanley hasnt been seen this year, and altho Michael Quinn made a super debut, he hasnt been seen since. Dyas is another one, and I'm sure I'm forgetting another 2 lads as well.

Point is, that all this frothing at the mouth about players been taken is complete over reaction. If it comes to a point where 10-15 players leave annually, then I will worry. Until then its not a massive problem in the large scale of things. I know its no comfort to Laois, Down, Longford etc who lost one of their better underage players, but players can easily be lost to anything, not just in sport.

Orizio

coup1917 wrote: »

That has got to be one of the daftest comments I've read on boards....
Its this sort of negative attitude that promotes the image of the 'thick Irish Paddy'. ..
Maybe you should start watching a few foreign sports, it might improve the old spelling....:rolleyes:

Talking about pig ignorant things to say.

kmart6

God Tom McGuirk annoys me!!!!

Stev_o

How bitter is Tom McGuirk? Comes off as a right old sod.

kmart6

You'd swear they were going to the 3rd world or something!

kmart6

Is he seriously trying to compare the English 4th division to AFL!!

Stev_o

It's oh so hypocritical when you account that he commentates for a professional sport , despite the fact he's spent every single second saying how being a professional sportsmen is akin to being a slave worker. The sooner his kind are gone the better. Least that last GAA spokes person was actually living in reality and judged it fairly.

Orizio

I quite like Tom generally, but I'm confused as to why a Rugby commentator is speaking on a GAA/AFL programme. His remarks smack of 'over-compensation'.

kmart6

Stev_o wrote: »

It's oh so hypocritical when you account that he commentates for a professional sport , despite the fact he's spent every single second saying how being a professional sportsmen is akin to being a slave worker. The sooner his kind are gone the better. Least that last GAA spokes person was actually living in reality and judged it fairly.

Ah I don't know....Micky Harte is all against it and very negative too!

kmart6

Orizio wrote: »

I quite like Tom generally, but I'm confused as to why a Rugby commentator is speaking on a GAA/AFL programme. His remarks smack of 'over-compensation'.

Maybe they were looking for someone involved in a professional sport within Ireland!

sickpuppy

Ask any young fella 17 18 if hed like to play sport professionally and im sure the answer would be yes.

These lads are taking a gamble but if it does not work out they can come back there still young men.

I played gaa until iwas 18 and never got as much as cup of tea after a match
at least playing rugby ya got a dinner.

Football for me now anyhow is hard too watch so much pulling and dragging and populated with playerss with low skills and high fitness instead.

It should look at itself instead of crying abouta few lads getting a great life experience and possible career.

Wtf with Mcgurk there not going to there deaths he seemed so depressed about it all.
How many irish kids go too england each year tying to be pro footballers soccer .
Im looking forward to the next few episodes seeing how the lads get on i wish them the best

The Aussie

The way i see it, is that the boys going over there to give it a crack is no different to anyone of the other thousands of irish who go over to OZ every year to work and see the place.

If they dont make it at least they gave it their all and might even come back fitter more physical players with a few good stories for the lads.

If its a case of wanting to get paid for something they love to do who can begrudge them that, how many intercounty players a drawing the dole at the moment, i heard them discussing it on RTE radio after the second Cork v Kerry game but forget the numbers now, anyway i cant see poaching of GAA players being to much of a problem until the AFL set up some sort of academy here in Ireland.


Anthony.

kmart6

sickpuppy wrote: »

Im looking forward to the next few episodes seeing how the lads get on i wish them the best

Only 1 left!

Dubhthamlacht

blimey, the likes of Mickey Harte, Tom McGurk etc make such a huge deal of lads leaving to go try their luck at Aussie Rules. Fair play to those players. If they succeed, well done to them, if not they can return to their clubs and counties better for the expereince. It seems like some "experts" have the blinkers on in regarding this matter. Soccer has always been a more attractive propostion to young footballers and a lure from taking young promising gaelic footballers. From my own county, monaghan, over the last 10 years we've lost 3 lads to english soccer clubs who would have been fantatsic players for the county gaelic football team. If you must know they are, Barry Conlon (Grimsby), Jon Douglas (Swindon and ex irish intl) and Mark Connoly (Wolves). So to say aussie rules will be a bigger problem is mental. It won't. Anyway, if the lads that try it don't succeed, they can always return. Soccer will always be a bigger competitor can the GAA needs to focus on cometiting with it and rugby instead of harping on about a handful of lads trying their luck at Aussie Rules.

cuddlycavies

Yep, could believe Mcgurks drivel about 4th division soccer. It's like saying, dont even bother trying in case you are not a huge success. The o'Hailpin lads are a bit frustrated at not getting their game down there but they are totally aware that the game they are in offers them a chance to earn their living as professional athletes. GAA does not. Both Jimmy Steynes and Tadgh Kinneally proved that it can be done to the the top. Jimmy got a Brownlow and a record for most consecutive games played whilst Tadgh got a premiership medal and a grand final goal in a one point final.
I am Irish but never liked the GAA much. If they were a Northern Protestant institution they would be seen as nazis. But if you like it, good luck to you. I have always been embarrassed by the ammount of whinging by the Irish in the international series. Have been to packed houses at the MCG, SCG , Gabba and Croker. ''The footie wins hands down''.

aDeener

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Yep, could believe Mcgurks drivel about 4th division soccer. It's like saying, dont even bother trying in case you are not a huge success. The o'Hailpin lads are a bit frustrated at not getting their game down there but they are totally aware that the game they are in offers them a chance to earn their living as professional athletes. GAA does not. Both Jimmy Steynes and Tadgh Kinneally proved that it can be done to the the top. Jimmy got a Brownlow and a record for most consecutive games played whilst Tadgh got a premiership medal and a grand final goal in a one point final.
I am Irish but never liked the GAA much. If they were a Northern Protestant institution they would be seen as nazis. But if you like it, good luck to you. I have always been embarrassed by the ammount of whinging by the Irish in the international series. Have been to packed houses at the MCG, SCG , Gabba and Croker. ''The footie wins hands down''.

what the hell is that supposed to mean??:rolleyes:

Orizio

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Yep, could believe Mcgurks drivel about 4th division soccer. It's like saying, dont even bother trying in case you are not a huge success. The o'Hailpin lads are a bit frustrated at not getting their game down there but they are totally aware that the game they are in offers them a chance to earn their living as professional athletes. GAA does not. Both Jimmy Steynes and Tadgh Kinneally proved that it can be done to the the top. Jimmy got a Brownlow and a record for most consecutive games played whilst Tadgh got a premiership medal and a grand final goal in a one point final.
I am Irish but never liked the GAA much. If they were a Northern Protestant institution they would be seen as nazis. But if you like it, good luck to you. I have always been embarrassed by the ammount of whinging by the Irish in the international series. Have been to packed houses at the MCG, SCG , Gabba and Croker. ''The footie wins hands down''.

Could you talk more horse****?

Its fine to not find the GAA entertaining, but to impy to organisation is akin to a anti-semitic, militaristic, nihilist, racialist groups like the Nazi's is rather pushing it, no?