Aussie Rules panel fly business class

THE GAA spared no expense in ensuring their International Rules players travelled to Melbourne in comfort.

For the first time in the history of the series, all 23 panel members along with management officials and GAA President Christy Cooney flew with Etihad Airways in business class, potentially costing approximately €120,000. Three years ago, Cooney’s predecessor Nickey Brennan flew business class for the start of the Rules series in Perth while then manager Seán Boylan, his management and panel travelled in economy.

Brennan explained he had done it for health reasons after a series of flights in a short period of time and the upgrade didn’t cost the GAA. However, he pointed out it was GAA policy for all of its officials on association trips to travel economy class.

At the time, Mike McGurn, who is now physical coach to the panel, criticised the decision not to let players travel in business class.

“Travelling economy class six days before the first Test was a form of suicide,” he said. “Also, six of the lads only arrived in Australia on the Tuesday before the first Test.”

Galway’s Finian Hanley was the last of the panel to travel out in the exclusive cabin arriving this morning Melbourne time. He followed team captain Stephen Cluxton, his Parnells club-mate Colm Begley and Wicklow’s Leighton Glynn who touched down yesterday evening. All four were involved in club games at the weekend.

Those who flew out on Friday had Ronan Keating’s wife Yvonne and their children as company.

Keating is in Sydney at the moment where he is a judge on the Australian version of X Factor.