The mood was upbeat at Croke Park yesterday as the Australians arrived for the first media conference of their tour. GAA officials were optimistic that despite the All-Ireland replay tomorrow, a good crowd would attend Sunday's first test and reported pre-sales of 25,000. And Australian Football League president Wayne Jackson was forthright in his approval for the international project, now in the third year of its revival.

"I think the attendance will be between 30 and 40 thousand," said Liam Mulvihill, director general of the GAA. "I would be disappointed if it's not over 30,000 and I wouldn't be surprised if it's more than 40,000. And I've no doubt that the second test attendance will be close to capacity."

Jackson said he was greatly looking forward to the series. "We're on the cusp of something very exciting. The two games last year attracted well over 100,000. Over the 176 games in our season, only 15 attract the sort of crowd we attracted to the international rules."

Australian coach Dermott Brereton was also optimistic about his team's capacity to apply the lessons of defeats in the last two series. "We really learned that the basic necessity is to retain possession. The Irish guys can kick the round ball 10 metres further with their long-range kicking. That makes a big difference. We have to upgrade our ability to use the round ball."

Brereton's panel has been hit by injuries and withdrawals and he confirmed yesterday that he had settled on a goalkeeper to replace Stephen Silvagni, who in the last two years had adapted well to the demands of a position that doesn't exist in Australian Rules.

"Andrew Kellaway will play in goals. Two years ago he was playing in the minor league with a brother playing for Richmond. Since then he worked his backside off, overcome every adversity and this year became an All-Australian. He's six foot three, a wiry type of build and a bit of a Kamikaze. He's had a little bit of training, but isn't quite at Silvagni's level yet."

Yesterday afternoon's practice match between Australia and a Dublin selection attracted around 5,000 spectators, mostly schoolchildren, to Parnell Park. The visitors, despite having arrived less than 24 hours previously, looked in good shape and moved well for an 80-47 victory in a match played over four quarters of 15 minutes.

Goals from Blake Caracella and Scott West were cancelled out by similar scores from John Madden and Ben Kelly, but despite a battling display from the home team, the visitors were too slick in the creation and dispatch of chances. Australia's conversion of overs - 18 - was impressive with Wayne Campbell, Andrew McLeod and Michael O'Loughlin featuring well in attack.

Meanwhile, Ireland manager Brian McEniff reports slight concerns about injuries to team captain Trevor Giles, Armagh's Kieran McGeeney and Dublin's Ciaran Whelan. Giles and Whelan have hip injuries. McGeeney's hamstring is giving trouble.