Stynes says International Rules knockers are way off the mark

AUSTRALIA’S assistant coach Jim Stynes has scoffed at suggestions in Ireland that the International Rules series be scrapped, but admitted the punishment for rough play of the kind on display last Friday night should be harsher.

Stynes, for whom the medal for Australia's player of the series is named, said those calling for the series to be axed were long-time critics.

"There's always knockers with this game, and any opportunity to knock it, they do," Stynes said.

"If it's because of the crowds, if it's because of the fighting, if it's because of the spectacle, if it's because the Aussies are not fielding the best team, if it's because the Aussies aren't good enough, whatever. Those guys are always looking for a reason to knock it, and I think we've got this again."

Stynes agreed that the disciplinary system has to be changed so the punishment fits the crime. Johnson has most likely played his last match for Australia, but the fact that players are willing to commit acts they would not try in their own codes suggests there is a problem.

Stynes said he had not formed concrete ideas about how the system could be tweaked but suggested, for instance, that if a player were sent off, his side should go into the next game with one fewer player in its squad.

He ruled out carrying suspensions into the home-and-away AFL season on the basis that it would dissuade players from representing Australia.

"Maybe they need to look at a different system that might hurt the team more," Stynes said. "It might be that if you lose a player, then you lose one person off your list instead of having eight on the bench you might have only seven until that person's suspension is done. That might just make people think."

The Irish-born Melbourne legend, who represented Australia in the sport, also backed Kevin Sheedy's claims that the violence in the second Test was sparked by low blows by Irish.

Stynes said that with the Australians leading by 36 points from the first Test and fielding a small, fast team, they had no reason to go the knuckle on the Irish.

"We had to send a message to the umpires saying the Irish are starting all these little fights, all these spotfires around the place. We didn't have any reason to (start fighting), we were up by 36 points," he said.