Essendon stars Damien Hardwick and Adam Ramanauskas have been added to the All Australian squad for the upcoming International Rules series against Ireland.AFL Football Operations Manager Andrew Demetriou said all players in the original 32-man squad named in early September had been consulted since the Grand Final last Saturday to check their injury status and, as a result, six changes to the squad had been made. Todays' additions mean five Essendon players will now participate in the series with Matthew Lloyd, Blake Caracella and Jason Johnson in the original squad.
Demetriou said the match committee of Garry Lyon (coach), Gerard Healy (chairman), Kevin Sheehan, Rod Austin, Graham Cornes and Robert Walls had added Damien Hardwick (Essendon), Brent Harvey (Kangaroos), Jonathan Hay (Hawthorn), Matthew Nicks (Sydney), Adam Ramanauskas (Essendon) and Darryl White (Brisbane Lions) to replace those players who were injured or unavailable -- Nathan Brown (Western Bulldogs), Nathan Buckley (Collingwood), Ben Cousins (West Coast), Chris Grant (Western Bulldogs), Ben Hart (Adelaide), James Hird (Essendon), Andrew McKay (Carlton), Matthew Primus (Port Adelaide), Stephen Silvagni (Carlton), Gavin Wanganeen (Port Adelaide) and Adem Yze (Melbourne).
All players selected in the All Australian team after Round 22 were automatically included in the squad, if they were available, while the selectors were able to add other players to suit the demands of the matches.
The full squad to prepare for the Tests in Melbourne (Friday October 12) and Adelaide (Friday October 19) is: Simon Black (Brisbane Lions), Joel Bowden (Richmond), Craig Bradley (Carlton), Blake Caracella (Essendon), Daniel Chick (Hawthorn), Josh Francou (Port Adelaide), Darren Gaspar (Richmond), Adam Goodes (Sydney), Simon Goodwin (Adelaide), Damien Hardwick (Essendon), Brent Harvey (Kangaroos), Jonathan Hay (Hawthorn), Jason Johnson (Essendon), David King (Kangaroos), Matthew Lappin (Carlton), Nigel Lappin (Brisbane Lions), Matthew Lloyd (Essendon), Andrew McLeod (Adelaide), Stuart Maxfield (Sydney), Matthew Nicks (Sydney), Brad Ottens (Richmond), Adam Ramanauskas (Essendon), Joel Smith (Hawthorn), Nick Stevens (Port Adelaide), Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide), Michael Voss (Brisbane Lions), Darryl White (Brisbane Lions).
The Australian team will come together this Sunday, October 7, when it gathers for a training camp in Melbourne at the MCG.
