INTERNATIONAL RULES: GAA president Seán Kelly has ruled out any immediate threat to the International Rules series in the aftermath of the controversy surrounding violent incidents in Friday's second Test in Melbourne.

Asked if the series was now in the last chance saloon, Kelly said that he didn't believe the situation was as grave at that.

"No, maybe the second-last chance. I don't think it's that serious. I think that they too will be conscious that things were a bit overboard without apportioning blame one way or the other. I met a good few Australians after the match who weren't happy. No one likes to see players going out in danger of being injured. No one wants to see that. We wouldn't tolerate it and I'm sure they wouldn't tolerate it either."

The president did acknowledge, however, that there has been a deterioration in discipline on the field in this year's series.

"There has been a slippage in terms of standard this year, a return to unacceptable levels of behaviour on the field, particularly in the second Test, that we hadn't seen in the last number of years."

Incidents of overt violence have been rare enough since the international concept was revived seven years ago but last Friday's was one of the worst in the that time. Australian captain Chris Johnson was red-carded for a dangerous head-high tackle on Philip Jordan and subsequently punched two other Irish players, Matty Forde and Anthony Lynch.

Kelly said that the rules needed to be reviewed in light of the fact that a red card doesn't affect team numbers, as a player sent off can be replaced, and that the suspension system is seen as inadequate.

"Deterrent is crucial to good control," he said, "and the current sanctions aren't deterrents at all because the turnover of international players in Australia is quite high. There is a need for stronger deterrents.

"We'll try and look at the overall game and see what happened. The deficiencies can be sorted out by the two organisations."

He also said that he had heard of the outraged response back in Ireland but defended the overall conduct of the international series while acknowledging that its future could be threatened were violent incidents to recur.

"I'm aware of that reaction. You're always going to get that when people are confronted with violence like that. I don't think withdrawal is the solution.

"The series has grown over the past number of years, attracted huge attendances and provided a fine spectacle. When played in the proper spirit.

"The benefits outweigh the disadvantages but obviously in the longer term if you have a repeat next year or the year after the chorus for change will grow and grow."

Meanwhile, Johnson apologised for his actions and acknowledged that he had little chance of escaping a lengthy suspension that would keep him out of next year's series in Ireland.

"I'll never do that again. While I can get a bit heated at times I never go around swinging the arms. It's something I deeply regret. I've never done anything like that - ever. The tribunal is ahead of me but almost certainly I won't be travelling to Ireland for next year's series."

Australian coach Kevin Sheedy has, however, tried to shift some of the blame for Friday's incidents onto the Irish players. "One or two of the Irish boys were having a bit of fun out there," he said in a radio interview, "and our guys were getting a bit agitated about that and I think it might have been a bit of a build-up to what happened.

"I think in the end some of the players out there might have been tripping our boys over. And tripping in this country isn't on. It's sort of an ankle trip, and the boys don't like that kind of stuff."

In his column in Sunday's Herald Sun Sheedy repeated the charge and alleged that his assistant coach, Dubliner Jim Stynes, had lost his temper with Ireland's tactics.

"There might just have been one or two Irishmen tap-dancing on some of my players' feet," Sheedy wrote, "and that might have got them a bit angry.

"Jim Stynes the only Irishman in our group wanted to fight his own countrymen. 'Come off the ground, Jim, just settle down,' we were saying to him until the game cooled down." AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said that he didn't feel the violence had detracted from the match and that the IR disciplinary tribunal would sort out any issues arising.

"I've seen harder games than that one and it was a terrific game. I don't think it detracted from the game. It wasn't a pretty incident but it will be dealt with as it should be."

Finally Ireland captain Pádraic Joyce announced his retirement from the international game. Ireland's record scorer with 59 points, he played 11 times for his country, captaining the team in four Tests.