Paul Earley believes his team are as prepared as they will ever be to capture the Cormac McAnallen Cup for a third consecutive time in Perth tomorrow (throw-up 9.45am Irish time).

A former high-ranking official of the Melbourne Demons club has revealed that the so-called Irish experiment that began with the club recruiting Jim Stynes, Sean Wight and Paul Earley, was financed largely by media mogul, Rupert Murdoch.

TOMMY WALSH’S debut in the AFL next week is a story that will be framed by the sports pages, distilled by short-sleeved press men and is, undeniably, about Aussie Rules.