Australians get to their Killarney base eventually

International Rules Build-upAustralia's international rules panel eventually arrived into Killarney, their base, as they prepare for Saturday's first test in Galway. The players had experienced some difficulty with connecting flights on the way over and it was early yesterday morning by the time the bulk of the panel had arrived.

"We all got here in the end with one exception," according to AFL media officer Patrick Keane last night.

"Danyle Pearce got held up because of a passport mix-up but it wasn't a problem and he arrived just half an hour ago, so all 25 have arrived now."

A number of the players missed connecting flights in London because of security delays going through the airport.

"We had a few guys who couldn't get through quickly enough," said Keane, "and were held up so we had about 25 flying to Dublin instead of Shannon and they had to take a bus down and didn't get in until around 1.30."

The Australians were scheduled to train yesterday afternoon in Killarney's Fitzgerald Stadium. This is the first year since the series resumed that a test has been played outside of Dublin, something that the visitors were keen to do.

"From our point of view we were more than happy to see more of Ireland," said Keane.

"Up to now we'd been spending 12 days in Dublin and only two outside, which was a bit of a waste so this gives us an opportunity to see somewhere like Killarney where we haven't been before."

Interest in the international game is high in Australia with around 10 media personnel due in by Saturday to cover the series, a greater number than before.

The finalised AFL panel contains just six of the players who featured in last year's demolition of Ireland but a number of others who were involved in the preliminary training for the 2005 series and who are familiar with the game.

Meanwhile preparations in Galway are on course for Saturday. The floodlighting, which is a temporary installation, has been put in place and was used for Ireland's training spin last weekend.

One story doing the rounds in Salthill is that the Australians, when offered a two-way radio system - in order to maintain contact between the perch up in the stand from where AFL coaches watch matches and the sideline - replied that in previous instances of using the technology, the Irish had known about their changes before they had.

AUSTRALIA: Graham Johncock (Adelaide), Justin Sherman, Michael Voss (Brisbane Lions), Matthew Lappin, Kade Simpson, Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Dustin Fletcher, Brent Stanton (Essendon), Ryan Crowley, David Mundy, Brett Peake (Fremantle), Chance Bateman, Campbell Brown (Hawthorn), Aaron Davey, James McDonald (Melbourne), Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide), Andrew Raines (Richmond), Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard (St Kilda), Nick Davis, Barry Hall, Ryan O'Keefe, Adam Schneider (Sydney), Lindsay Gilbee (Western Bulldogs), Adam Selwood (West Coast). Coach: Kevin Sheedy.