New coach says Aussies will play by the rules

MICK MALTHOUSE was yesterday confirmed as the new coach to the Australian International Rules team and the Collingwood boss has promised that there will be no repeat of the violent scenes that marred the previous two series.

The Australians have won the last two series under former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy but both successes – in 2005 and 2006 — were marred by the on-field controversies that saw the concept suspended last year.

The hybrid code returns in three months’ time with a test at Perth’s Subiaco Oval and another at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Malthouse’s words yesterday are sure to be welcomed warmly in Croke Park.

“We will play to the rules, we want to have a pleasant taste to this game,” said Malthouse. “I’m a great believer in sportsmanship. I always have been, and that’s first and foremost when you’re playing a game like this, that sportsmanship is never left out.

“It’s okay to win, it’s okay to go as hard as you possibly can within the rules, but I will never coach outside the rules, particularly with young men who have an opportunity to represent their country at the highest level in Australian Rules. I’ll be ensuring that that does take place.”

Malthouse has coached AFL for 24 consecutive years and has taken Collingwood to two Grand Finals – in 2002 and 2003 – but lost both times.

He also played Aussie Rules, with St Kilda and Richmond.

He will also coach the Australian team again in 2009 with AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson yesterday confirming that the side would be travelling to Ireland 12 months after this year’s series.

However, Anderson added that both the GAA and AFL were keen to place the series on a biannual footing after that and Malthouse is determined the game’s future is not called into question again under his watch.

“We are charged with the responsibility of ensuring this game goes on for as long as the AFL and the GAA see fit,” he said.

“We don’t want it compromised because we’ve broken rules or played the game in such spirit that is not in the spirit of play.”