Australian rules legend Jim Stynes has claimed the GAA intends to permanently cancel the Ireland-Australia International Rules concept.

The Dubliner believes the GAA may use next year's sabbatical - announced recently - to kill the series.

"From various reports that I have read and from what I have heard on the ground, I am afraid that the GAA may use next year as a waiting period to call off the whole thing," the former Melbourne Demon and assistant coach of the Australian team said. "That would be a huge disappointment and something I hope would not happen."

Stynes's suspicions have also been fuelled with the news GAA chiefs will not meet Australian football league (AFL) representatives in Dubai in late January as originally planned. While the GAA are pointing out the framework document on the future of the games will not be passed by Central Council in time for the next meeting, which will coincide with the All Star tours of the Emirates, Stynes said this could be another excuse to delay "ironing out the issues" with the AFL.

"Obviously we don't want this to drag on," he said.

"It seems that there will be a lot of going back and forth with documents, which is not really going to solve anything in the long run.

"For years lads from both teams met up before the Test matches which helped to cut out any on-the-pitch antics.

"I think it is the players who should be at the forefront of these talks and not officials, who have personal dissatisfaction with the series."

The outspoken Stynes also criticised the GAA for using the violence from recent Tests to mask their inadequacies in the game.

"We have invested a lot of money and time in the series over the last few years and it has paid off, whereas now the Irish, who once dominated, are struggling," Stynes said.

"Maybe they are using it as an excuse to get themselves together, for it is hard to know what is happening in Ireland."

Stynes is also concerned about what rules the GAA will coin for the game.

"I can understand their concern with regards to the tackle but then there is the other side of it where the game will just turn into Gaelic football, which would destroy the series," he said.

"They are obviously more skilled on the round ball and would have more of an advantage which would go against the whole compromise of it all."

The former All-Ireland minor winner also feared for "the other recommendations" that may be made by the GAA.

"If it is all about their game, then there is no reason for our players to participate and I fear that both they and the supporters would just have no interest in the series, and that would be the end of it," Stynes said.

"That is the reality of the situation and one that players from both countries and supporters don't want."