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2008 International Rules Series

2008 international rules series at Subiaco Oval, Perth, Western Australia
Event	International Rules Series
Australia Ireland 97 102
97–102 on aggregate, Ireland win series 2–0
First test
Australia Ireland 44 45
Date	24 October 2008
Venue	Subiaco Oval, Perth
Referee	Pat McEnaney (Ireland) Steve McBurney (Australia)
Attendance	35,153
Second test
Ireland Australia 57 53
Date	31 October 2008
Venue	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Referee	Pat McEnaney (Ireland) Steve McBurney (Australia)
Attendance	42,823
← 2006 2010 →

The 2008 International Rules Series was the 14th annual International Rules Series and was played between Ireland and Australia.

After the 2007 series was cancelled by the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Australian Football League and the GAA agreed in 2008 to resume the series.

The matches were played in Australia – 24 October in Perth, Western Australia and 31 October in Melbourne (after the AFL Grand Final and All-Ireland Senior Football Championship).

Ireland won by five points on aggregate after recording victories in both tests.

Rule changes

• Maximum of 14 interchanges per quarter.
• Teams are allowed only four consecutive hand passes (ball must then be kicked).
• Match time reduced from 20 to 18 minutes per quarter (with stoppage time for breaks in play).
• Goalkeeper can no longer kick the ball to himself from the kick-out.
• Suspensions may carry over the GAA and AFL matches if The Match Review Panel see fit.
• A dangerous "slinging" tackle will be an automatic red card.
• A shirtfront endangering the head will result in a red card.
• Physical intimidation can result in a yellow card.
• One-handed tackles result in a free kick.
• An independent referee can cite players for reportable offenses from the stands.
• Yellow cards sin bin reduced to 10 minutes.

Squads

Notes:

• Main sources for squads: BBC Sport Online and Hogan Stand.
• Kerry's Tommy Walsh was named on the original Irish squad, but had to withdraw due to club commitments with Kerins O'Rahilly's. He was replaced by Paul Finlay.
• Dublin's Bernard Brogan was named on the Irish original squad, but had to withdraw due to club commitments with St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh. He was replaced by Martin McGrath.
• The match-day squad for both teams was limited to 24 players each. Thus Australia (who had a 25 man squad) had to drop one player for each test and Ireland (who had a 27 man squad) had to drop three players.

Ireland manager Boylan was criticised for including David Gallagher in his squad, as he was not then playing inter-county football.

Irish management team

• Coach – Seán Boylan
• Selectors:
  • Anthony Tohill
  • Hugh Kenny
  • Eoin Liston
• Runner – Seán Marty Lockhart
• Backroom team:
  • Trevor Brennan (fitness & tackling)
  • Mike McGurn (fitness & tackling)
• Tour Manager – Seán Walsh
• Assistant Tour Manager – Tommy Kilcoyne
• Team doctor – Owen Clarke
• Physiotherapist – Frank Foley
• Masseur – Martin Regan
• Kit manager – Owen Lynch
• Waterboys – Ciaran Boylan and Pauric Gallagher

Notes:

• Main sources: Hogan Stand

Refereeing team

• Main referees – Pat McEnaney (Ireland) and Stephen McBurney (Australia)
• Standby referees / linesmen – David Coldrick (Ireland) and Brett Rosebury (Australia)
• Umpires – Gearóid Ó Conámha & John Bannon (Ireland) and Steven Axon & Peter Nastasi (Australia)
• Video match referee – Ian Curlewis (South Africa)

Notes:

• Main source: Hogan Stand

Matches

First test

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Australia	0.0.1	0.5.4	0.7.7	0.12.8	0.12.8 (44)
Ireland	0.1.6	1.2.7	3.5.8	3.6.9	3.6.9 (45)
Ireland won by 1 point

Second test

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Australia	0.4.3	0.5.5	1.6.9	3.8.11	3.8.11 (53)
Ireland	0.3.3	2.6.6	3.8.8	4.8.9	4.8.9 (57)
Ireland won by 4 points

References

1. International Rules back on track as two dates confirmed
2. ^ Dan Silkstone (19 October 2008). "Through Irish eyes". The Sunday Age. p. 8.
3. Heaney, Paddy (23 October 2008). "Time for talk is over". The Irish News. p. 58.
4. ^ Heaney, Paddy (23 October 2008). "The rules of engagement: A brief guide". The Irish News. p. 58.
5. "Ireland squad has nine Ulstermen". BBC Sport Online. 7 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
6. "Aussies name youthful squad". Hogan Stand. 9 October 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
7. "Finlay called up for Ireland duty". Hogan Stand. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
8. Duffy, Coilin (17 October 2008). "McGrath happy to grab his chance". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
9. "McGrath called up". Hogan Stand. 16 October 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
10. ^ Heaney, Paddy (24 October 2008). "TOUR sidelines". The Irish News. p. 57.
11. "Boylan tight-lipped on Meath vacancy". Meath Chronicle. 5 November 2008.
12. ^ "Boylan names his selectors". Hogan Stand. 23 September 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
13. "Rugby duo assisting Rules squad". Hogan Stand. 24 September 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2008.

External links

• Media related to 2008 International Rules Series at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Australian squad – 2008 International Rules Series
Bock (gk) Boyd Brennan Brown Burgoyne Campbell Crowley Firrito (gk) Foley Harvey (c) Hayden Montagna Motlop Murphy Osborne Pendlebury Petrie Rodan Rooke Sewell Simpson Selwood (vc) Thomas Thompson Wells
Coach: Malthouse

• 2008 in Australian rules football
• 2008 in Gaelic football
• International Rules series
• International sports competitions hosted by Australia