TonyK
CibbuanoVoss wins IR selection
October 12th 2006 02:25
Newly-retired Brisbane Lions skipper Michael Voss will take part in the International Rules series after Australian coach Kevin Sheedy revealed today the three-time premiership captain had been added to the squad.
Sheedy said he had spoken to Voss last night and had sought his inclusion in the touring party on the basis of the leadership he would provide to a young group, after receiving a guarantee that his fitness could stand up for two more matches.
"He will be a terrific leader for us and this will also give him a great opportunity to represent Australia off the field," Sheedy said.
Sheedy said one of the major factors in influencing his decision to include the 1996 Brownlow medallist was the amount of time he had played this year compared to the hybrid game.
"The International Rules game goes for around 75 minutes and this was about the time that Michael spent on the ground this year for the Lions per game. He accumulated more than 460 possessions in this time and that's a sensational effort for a guy playing three quarters of a game, in a team that was hanging on," Sheedy said.
"Michael has assured me that he's fully committed and wants to go and he also told me that if it was a choice between him and a young player, that we should take the young player on the tour. However, I told him the squad already has plenty of youth and we want to be able to draw on his experience as well as the future coaching options it may provide for him."
The full Australian squad will gather in Melbourne at the end of next week for a training camp at Hawthorn's facilities at Waverley park before departing for Ireland on October 21. The test schedule will see a first-ever night Test in Galway on Saturday October 28 at Pearse Stadium. The second Test will be played at Croke Park in Dublin on Sunday November 5.
Sheedy said he had spoken to Voss last night and had sought his inclusion in the touring party on the basis of the leadership he would provide to a young group, after receiving a guarantee that his fitness could stand up for two more matches.
"He will be a terrific leader for us and this will also give him a great opportunity to represent Australia off the field," Sheedy said.
Sheedy said one of the major factors in influencing his decision to include the 1996 Brownlow medallist was the amount of time he had played this year compared to the hybrid game.
"The International Rules game goes for around 75 minutes and this was about the time that Michael spent on the ground this year for the Lions per game. He accumulated more than 460 possessions in this time and that's a sensational effort for a guy playing three quarters of a game, in a team that was hanging on," Sheedy said.
"Michael has assured me that he's fully committed and wants to go and he also told me that if it was a choice between him and a young player, that we should take the young player on the tour. However, I told him the squad already has plenty of youth and we want to be able to draw on his experience as well as the future coaching options it may provide for him."
The full Australian squad will gather in Melbourne at the end of next week for a training camp at Hawthorn's facilities at Waverley park before departing for Ireland on October 21. The test schedule will see a first-ever night Test in Galway on Saturday October 28 at Pearse Stadium. The second Test will be played at Croke Park in Dublin on Sunday November 5.
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