GAA upbeat series will go ahead

GAELIC GAMES: THE GAA is confident this year's international rules series in Australia will go ahead despite threats from the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) to boycott the Tests in pursuance of a pay dispute with the AFL.

Feargal McGill, the GAA’s head of games administration, said he had spoken to the Australian authorities and that the row is expected to be resolved.

“We were in touch with them a few days ago and whereas they’re keeping an eye on the situation, we’re fairly confident that the series won’t be disrupted.”

This year’s Test take place at the slightly later time of October and early November and will include a new venue, the Gold Coast in Queensland, where the second Test is due to be played in the Metricon Stadium.

The first will as usual be played in Melbourne.

The decision to switch from Perth’s Subiaco Oval, which has hosted the first Test in the past three series in Australia, came about partly as a response to the extreme flooding in Queensland earlier this year.

In consultation with the state government the AFL has decided to bring one of its international matches to Queensland in order to provide a boost for the local economy.

This dovetails neatly with the AFL’s interest in promoting the latest of its franchises, the Gold Coast Suns, established two years ago, which is based in Queensland.

Ireland’s management team under Anthony Tohill is already liaising with players about individual training programmes and a travelling panel will be finalised at the end of September after the All-Ireland has been completed.

It will be the first series in Australia since 2008 when the internationals were placed on a triennial cycle with a gap year.