Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
After a few mouthfuls of Guinness, Irish AFL icon Zach Tuohy has used a St Patrick’s Day platform to launch a fresh call for the revival of the International Rules series.
Former Geelong star Tuohy attempted to “split the G” at a promotion for the second edition of Jim’s Game – a feature match in honour of late Irish trailblazer Jim Stynes.
The 36-year-old, who featured in multiple International Rules series for Ireland before the concept was shelved in 2017, then put hybrid sport back on the agenda and urged officials to think big.
“Unless there’s some logistical issue that I’m not aware of, I can’t see why you wouldn’t bring the men’s and women’s series back in tandem,” Tuohy said.
“Go and play it in the (United) States, you’ll have all the best players putting their hands up.
“I loved it, absolutely loved it. You don’t get many opportunities to represent your country playing AFL, so I’d go for it.”
A two-game International Rules series was set to be played in Ireland in 2020 with a return series in Australia scheduled for 2022, but those plans were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The AFL and Gaelic Athletic Association have held talks in recent years about reviving the concept, and Tuohy is adamant there would be support for the concept in Ireland.
“It’s always been quite a big deal back home, to play in the International Rules,” he said.
“When it was called off, it was noticeably missed. You’re always going to get the best Irish players putting their hands up.”
Tuohy helped Stynes’ family and Melbourne representatives launch the 2026 Jim’s Game, which will be held when the Demons host Brisbane at the MCG on April 19.
Funds raised will support the Jim Stynes Foundation.
Tuohy played 288 games for Geelong and Carlton, including the Cats’ 2022 premiership, surpassing Melbourne legend Stynes’ long-standing record for games played by an Irish-born player.
“It was never lost on me that he was the trailblazer and all the Irish careers that were to follow were likely only ever to happen because of what Jim did,” Tuohy said.
Tuohy has watched with pride the influx of Irish players in AFLW.
They are having a growing impact with a record five Irish players named in the 2025 AFLW All-Australian team.
“The girls are coming over and seem to adapt almost immediately,” Tuohy said.
“If you made a team exclusively of Irish players I think they’d go pretty well, which gives the girls back home a real target to aim for.
“All the growth can be traced back to Jim’s initial success.”
