Gary Ablett, Patrick Dangerfield, Nat Fyfe. Brownlow Medal winners all.
The other common trait the three men share is that they will rep for Australia in the International Rules series.
Reigning Brownlow Medallist and Norm Smith Medallist Dustin Martin, however, has chosen no to play. He is perhaps the most notable absence from the just announced 17-man squad that will play for the Cormac McAnnellen Trophy against Ireland.
Martin led the Richmond Tigers to the 2017 AFL premiership, so he deserves a rest, as the AFL off-season seems to get shorter and shorter all the time. Professional athletes such as Martin seldom get a chance to take time off. Even when games are not going on, they have to maintain some level of fitness, so footy is basically a year round job.
Dangerfield was dismissed from the last season early when his Geelong Cats were sledged by the Adelaide Crows. Ablett is stranded at the Gold Coast Suns and Fyfe plays for the Fremantle Dockers, so both should be well rested.
The Irish will be the tourists for two matches. The first will be at the Adelaide Oval on November 12, followed by the other at Domain Stadium November 18.
The lads from the Emerald Isle will be bringing the trophy along with them, as they won the last time in 2015 when they won in one game played in Dublin. Their side will feature Pearce Hanley, Conor McKenna and Zach Tuohy.
The Aussie side is a veritable who’s who of footy, as the match somewhat resembles an All Star game.
Alphabetically, it will be Ablett, Eddie Betts, Travis Boak, Shaun Burgoyne, Dangerfield, Fyfe, Brendon Goddard, Toby Green, Michael Hibberd, Josh Kelly, Rory Laird, Zach Merrett, Scott Pendlebury, Paddy Ryder, Joel Selwood, Rory Sloane, Chad Wingard and Dayne Zorko.
Eleven AFL teams will have one or more representatives.
North Melbourne, Sydney, Wester Eagles, Bulldogs, Saints, Carlton and Richmond had no player picked or willing to participate.
