Rules on ‘second-last chance saloon’

THE GAA will not hesitate to break off contact with the Australian Football League if there is a repeat next year of the thuggery witnessed in the second test in the Telstra Dome at the week-end — specifically when Australian captain Chris Johnson struck three Irish players in quick succession.

Association President Sean Kelly was again restrained in his reaction to what he described as 'particularly outlandish efforts at tackling,' saying that calls for the International Rules Series to be abandoned had been 'a knee-jerk reaction.'

The situation wasn't that serious to regard next year as 'the last chance saloon,' he said. It was more like 'the second-last chance.' Essentially, he was in no rush to condemn until he had carried out an in-depth review of the game, which the home side won by 21 points and 163-106 on aggregate (a new record).