We mark this welcome development and Ireland's participation in the Sydney Olympics with a two-part report from Our Special Correspondent, who has been to Australia to see the 'Rules' game there at first hand. Here is his first report:

Australia is a country that is very much in the hearts and minds of all Irish people these days, not least among GAA followers, asserts An Fear Rua...

All true GAA fans can readily appreciate effort and excellence in sporting spheres other than our own. Sonia, of course, was outstanding. But there were others as well, of many different nationalities.

This time around the Irish team and others who went with them to Australia went voluntarily. It was not always so, of course. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw many a young Irish man or woman following a sorrowful path to spend time in the prison colonies of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) or forced by famine and poverty at home to find their fortune as serving girls or farm hands in the Australia. Their struggles - and ultimate triumph - is movingly captured in Seán Keane's wonderful rendition of a ballad celebrating the 'threads of green among the gold' of Australia.

For GAA fans, in particular, Australia now comes much more into focus as we face into the Coca Cola International Compromise Rules series between Ireland and Australia.

We mark this welcome and Ireland's participation in the Sydney Olympics with a two-part report from Our Special Correspondent, who has been to Australia to see the 'Rules' game there at first hand. Here is his first report:

As our footballing friends from down under pay us a visit shortly it's interesting to see how their players are treated in comparison with GAA players. In recognising the gulf between an amateur organisation and a professional body, it's important to remember that some of what we report on here could be attainable in Ireland.

The AFL Players' Association went under construction in 1999... plastic surgery which enables more plastic to be evidenced in players' wallets. The body started with a new Education and Training programme. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou explains, 'There are basically two phases in our programme. Designed to provide players with Education and Training Grants, plus state of the art technology for season 2000 and beyond, we feel a combination of studies with full-time football is now possible.' He regards his association as 'being at the forefront of using Information Technology to provide tangible results for the AFLPA. Through the player's use of PC's, the Internet, and 'Natural Language Speech' technologies, the AFLPA will now have the ability to not only assist the Players to achieve higher educational levels but also to disseminate and receive player information, anytime, anywhere.'

Adding that the players' response in its first year of induction was 'overwhelming', the programme is seen as a significant achievement in Australia. Grants awarded range between $170 and $9000, with players committing to a variety of courses including undergraduate and masters degrees to completion of Year 12, comparable with our own Leaving Cert. 275 players have successfully applied for grants in the first round. Of the $1 million allocated to the Education and Training Account in 2000, approximately $473,000 has been allocated to players. The remaining money will be used for second round applications and to fund the second phase of the programme.

Phase 2 deals with the difficulty players find in achieving high educational standards with the demands placed on them in professional football. The AFLPA provides a PC, software, internet access and maintenance to all players who undertake a course during their playing years. In doing so, the body have formed a 'strategic alliance' with Voicenet (Australia) Ltd. Over the past year, the association have worked with Voicenet to develop an IT strategy. This provides for many educational services to be delivered on-line.

Under the direction of the AFLPA Executive, delegates and team representatives are responsible for liasing between the Executive and players. Andrew Leoncelli is the Melbourne Demons rep. 'I feel delighted to represent my colleagues at this level in the AFLPA. It's so important that our message gets across and this facility allows us to voice our opinion on all matters related to football,' he said. 'Playing football is a stressful and hazardous occupation, but it's what we do best. It's our lives and we must look after families friends and ourselves. I think our futures are relatively safe. They are in our hands', Leoncelli added.

1999 truly was a seminal year in Australian Football. It also saw the establishment of the PDP (Player Development Programme). It exists as a network of personal support and development services for all AFL players. Enlisting the help of Coyne Didsbury Sports HR, Arthur Andersen Finance and Family Planning Australia, players are at liberty to undergo workshops of psychological appraisal, financial and legal support and men's health/ family planning education.

Make of it what you will, but the series does seem to be getting bigger. Something that is also getting bigger is the gulf between player treatment in Ireland and Australia. The GAA need to address this as soon as possible. I know it's impossible to imagine these programmes in an amateur sport but some sort of foresight could see similar schemes in place.

Being in the company of the wizards of Oz makes you sit up and realise how backward our association is sometimes.