Australia have named a strong panel for next month’s international rules test at Croke Park. Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson, who recently became only the second man in modern AFL history to coach a three-in-a-row premiership sequence, is again in charge and will be assisted by two other well-known coaches Ross Lyon and Chris Scott of Fremantle and Geelong respectively.
All 22 players have won All Australian awards, including this year’s All Australian captain Robert Murphy and four of his Hawthorn team-mates. The panel also includes 14 who have previously played the international game, among them another Hawthorn footballer Luke Hodge, winner of last year’s Jim Stynes medal for his performance in Australia’s win over Ireland in Perth.
Speaking to afl.com.au Clarkson said: “The 2014 Test match in Perth was a great highlight, as we brought together the leading players from across our competition in the one side. We were able to combine well in a short period and give a great account of ourselves, to win the match, but the challenge will be more difficult again to now go to Ireland and win in front of a capacity crowd at Croke Park.”
Australia will warm up for a week in New York - floated last year by Australia as a possible test venue - before arriving in Ireland the week before the test, which is on 21st November.
Ireland manager Joe Kernan has been running the rule over 60 players but won’t name a provisional panel until the end of this month.
AUSTRALIA (v Ireland)
Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
Grant Birchall (Hawthorn)
Luke Breust (Hawthorn)
Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
Dustin Fletcher (Essendon)
Andrew Gaff (West Coast)
Brendon Goddard (Essendon)
Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
Leigh Montagna (St Kilda)
David Mundy (Fremantle)
Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs)
Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions)
Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
Nick Smith (Sydney Swans)
Jake Stringer (Western Bulldogs)
Harry Taylor (Geelong)
Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide)
Easton Wood (Western Bulldogs)
Meanwhile, Ireland have named senior and under-21 panels for the upcoming hurling-shinty international series against Scotland. The first test will be played in Inverness on 24th October along with the under-21 match. The second senior test will be a curtain raiser for the international rules football test against Australia on 21st November in Croke Park.
Ireland are managed this year by Galway’s All-Ireland winning minor manager Jeffrey Lynskey and Gregory O’Kane from Antrim.
The Irish panels for the upcoming tests are as follows;
IRELAND (v Scotland)
1. Eoin Reailly (Goalkeeper) (Laois)
2. Mickey Burke (Meath)
3. Bernard Delay (Kildare)
4. Paul Divilly (Kildare)
5. Damien Healy (Meath)
6. Gareth Johnson (Down)
7. Zane Keenan (Laois)
8. Shane Maloney (Galway)
9. Neal McCauley (Antrim)
10. David McInerney (Clare)
11. Derek McNicholas (Westmeath)
12. Bryan Murphy (Kerry)
13. Shane Nolan (Kerry)
14. Niall O’Muinechann (Kildare)
15. Eoin Price (Westmeath)
16. Maurice Shanahan (Waterford)
17. James Toher (Meath)
18. Matthew Whelan (capt) (Laois)
IRELAND (U21 v Scotland)
1. Paddy McKenna (Goalkeeper) (Kildare)
2. Ben Conroy (Laois)
3. Rian Branagan (Down)
4. Michael Breen (Tipperary)
5. Keith Carmody (Kerry)
6. James Doyle (Carlow)
7. Michial Dudley (Antrim)
8. Jack Fagan (Meath)
9. Tommy Gallagher (Westmeath)
10. Shane Gallen (Donegal)
11. Austin Gleeson (Waterford)
12. Martin Kavanagh (Carlow)
13. Gerry Keegan (Kildare)
14. Philip Lucid (Kerry)
15. Conor McDonald (Wexford)
16. Jack Regan (Meath)
17. PJ Scully (Laois)
18. Colm Stapleton (Laois)
