Aussies put down a marker

AUSTRALIAN manager Gary Lyon vowed yesterday that his team will "play hard and tackle hard" in the Coca-Cola International Rules Series against Ireland in Croke Park.

Declaring an intention to play "within the rules", he denied that they had a policy of intimidation.

Lyon, in charge for his fourth and last series said it had been "a bit rich" for the Irish to highlight an incident in a practice game before the opening test in Adelaide last year as an example of the physicality of the game.