GAA:Australia will arrive in Ireland next weekend without the AFL's hottest property after Gary Ablett declined the opportunity to play in his first International Rules series. The former Geelong midfielder, a two-time winner of the Brownlow Medal, has decided to stay in Australia after completing a protracted transfer the Gold Coast Suns.
Ablett had signalled his intention to tour last month, and had even been offered the captaincy by coach Mick Malthouse. But having moved to the new franchise in Queensland, the 26-year-old has decided he needs time to find a house and settle in.
While Malthouse’s 22-man squad is inexperienced in the hybrid code – just six have played International Rules before – there is plenty of quality in the touring party. Grand Final champions Collingwood are represented by Dane Swan and Tyson Goldsack and the pair are likely to come up against former teammate Marty Clarke.
Tadhg Kennelly, another likely to be in Anthony Tohill’s panel, could face three of his Sydney colleagues in the two-test series while St Kilda, where Tommy Walsh is still waiting to make a breakthrough, have two players in the touring party.
Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher, who captained Australia during the acrimonious 2006 series, is once again included
The first test will be played at Limerick on the evening of Saturday, October 23rd and the second at Croke Park in Dublin a week later. Tohill is expected to name his squad next week.
Australia:Todd Banfield (Brisbane Lions), Eddie Betts (Carlton), Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs), Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide Crows), Paul Duffield (Fremantle), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), James Frawley (Melbourne), Bryce Gibbs (Carlton), Sam Gilbert (St Kilda), Tyson Goldsack (Collingwood), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans), Brad Green (Melbourne), Garrick Ibbotson (Fremantle), Kieran Jack (Sydney Swans), Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond), Kade Simpson (Carlton), Dane Swan (Collingwood), Travis Varcoe (Geelong Cats), David Wojcinski (Geelong Cats).