The AFL today announced that Fremantle senior coach Ross Lyon would be on the Australian coaching panel for a two-Test Virgin Australia International Rules Series against Ireland, to be played in Australia later this year.
AFL general manager football operations Andrew Dillon said Lyon would return to the coaching panel, having worked alongside Hawthorn senior coach Alastair Clarkson and Geelong senior coach Chris Scott in the 2014 and 2015 series.
Dillon said Scott had accepted an invitation to lead the Australian side after Clarkson had completed his two-series appointment.
An important part of Clarkson's appointment was his desire to ensure and facilitate a transition of coaching of the team to one of his assistants across the last two series.
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott was also appointed to the coaching panel.
“The Australian team for the Virgin Australia IRS matches will again be comprised only of players who have been nominated as an All Australian at some point during their careers, and the AFL was seeking for an All Australian coach, which is one of our premiership coaches, to head the panel to lead our elite players,” Dillon said.
“Chris’ record since he began with the Cats has been outstanding, with a winning record of more than 70 per cent and finals appearances in five of his six completed seasons, and he has considerable IRS experience as an assistant for the past two series and also as a player in the 2001 series in Australia.”
Brad Scott was a playing member of the 2002 Australian team that toured Ireland under Garry Lyon and regained the Cormac McAnnellen trophy on foreign soil.
Dillon said the AFL had begun the process of identifying which All Australian candidates would be available for selection post-season, with the team to be named once the finals were completed. It was expected venue dates and locations for the two Tests would be announced before the start of the 2017 Toyota AFL Finals Series.
