Gold Coast to host International Rules Test

Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast in Queensland has been announced as the second Test venue for this year's International Rules Series between Ireland and Australia.

The 2011 Series opener will be held at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium on Friday, October 28, with the deciding game taking place at the home of the Gold Coast Suns on Friday, November 4.

History will be made that night as it will be the first time an International Rules Test has been played in Queensland, with all previous Tests staged in Melbourne, Perth or Adelaide.

Metricon Stadium is a state of the art, $144m redeveloped ground in Carrarra with a capacity of 25,000. It made its AFL Premiership debut in May when the Gold Coast Suns played Geelong Cats, and

AFL Chief Executive Mr Andrew Demetriou said: "I am delighted that the second Test in the 2011 Series for the Cormac McAnallen trophy will be played at Metricon Stadium and I want to thank the Queensland Government and Events Queensland for their determination to bring this match to the Gold Coast region.

"Since the stadium was opened this year for the Gold Coast Suns, Metricon Stadium has proved a wonderful venue for fans of our game and it will be a highlight of our year to see a deciding Test match between Australia and Ireland contested on our newest venue in front of passionate, capacity Queensland crowd."

GAA Director General Páraic Duffy welcomed the news, stating: "We are looking forward to returning to Australia later in the year with Anthony Tohill and his team and attempting to make amends for last year's Series defeat to what was an impressive Australian team."

Rodney Eade, who currently coaches the Western Bulldogs in the AFL, has been appointed as Australia's head coach for the next two years.

The Australians won last year's Series at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick and Croke Park, taking a 102-92 aggregate victory over Tohill's Ireland side.