WHILE it's easy enough to have misgivings about aspects of the International Rules game, it's hard to fathom the level of antipathy towards the hybrid series from a number of Tyrone officials.

Fears expressed about the potential for the AFL to essentially plunder the cream of Gaelic football's emerging talent might be genuine but the evidence to date would suggest that they are grossly overstated.There are less Irish players in Australia than there were 10 years ago.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is probably the hybrid game's highest profile critic and he has consistently argued for its removal, claiming that it is at odds with the promotion of Gaelic games.

But why the annual novelty of watching players like Seán Cavanagh, Graham Canty or Marty McGrath measure themselves against the Aussie pros in any way damages the promotion of Gaelic games is hard to figure out. Players, by and large, cherish the chance to play for Ireland and even if some might be ambivalent about the game's true worth, what harm that they get the wonderful experience of travelling to Australia with their peers?

Critics claim that the International Rules series is some kind of elaborate plot to conceal the AFL's ambition to lure young Gaelic footballers to the Australian game but such ideas would appear fanciful. For starters, there is absolutely nothing to stop AFL scouts coming to Ireland anyway and headhunting young players, regardless of the existence of the series.

Given the geographical jolt for any young man heading to Australia it's reasonable to assume that the numbers switching codes will always be relatively small.

While certain officials cannot help themselves lecturing players about what the GAA should mean to them has anyone the right to stop a young person from developing a career in professional sport if he so wishes? If the argument is based on the fact that a financial investment has already been made in the development of a young Gaelic footballer, then clubs should simply look to be compensated.

But let's look at the bigger picture here. Given that the economic crisis has narrowed the career options for most young players in Ireland, this more than anything could precipitate an increase in converts. After all, while the GAA can offer a wonderfully fulfilling role for a player in Irish society, it can only really do so if you have a job.

Perhaps it's the brush with professionalism itself that the Rules series affords Gaelic footballers which is really at the heart of the opposition to the game. Players do live like proper pros for the fortnight Down Under and are entitled to a daily allowance.

The tendency in the GAA to apply rules instead of common sense has caused enough problems in the past and to enshrine a rule to sever links with the AFL is, quite frankly, daft.

Why, instead of taking a negative approach so favoured by some elements in the GAA, do we not do everything in our power to incentivise our young players to stick with Gaelic games? Government funding for example, now more than ever, is vital for the welfare of county players losing their jobs. The scheme is being opposed by a small number of officials and now they are trying to talk the rest of the Association into severing the links with the AFL for fear that we might lose players to a professional game. Rather than a ‘ban' mentality, the onus should be on reinforcing the positive benefits of sticking with Gaelic games.

As far as Aussie Rules goes, it would be far more constructive to work with the AFL to ensure that any young player who does join a Rules club is properly looked after, particularly if it doesn't work out and he has to return home?

Many of Harte's assertions about the series are accurate but he fails to convince in his argument for doing away with it. The hybrid game probably does enjoy an inflated position due to the fact that it is a substantial ‘jolly' for GAA journalists every few years (and for officials).

But it is also a substantial jolly for players, players whose substantial contribution to Gaelic games funds the GAA. If the series was intended to do nothing else only reward players for that contribution, then it has considerable merit.

Of course it's far more than that and while critics may talk it down, they can't take from some wonderful performances by Gaelic footballers against Australia over the past 25 years.