International Rules: The last image used on Australian television as the credits rolled on their International Rules coverage was of Ireland's Peter McGrath up in the coach's box at Subiaco Oval in Perth. He sat head in hands, his trauma clear to see within a glass-walled, neon-lit purgatory.

During the lead-up to yesterday's first Test of the Fosters International Rules series, however, the view hadn't been as clear. McGrath, his management and, to be fair, most others in the entourage didn't see this one coming.

Yes, yes we nodded. The Australians had brought in a formidable club coach with radical ideas about how he wanted to play the game and who had recruited to order. But we had heard all of this before. No side could be expected to pick up a new game plan and make it work against a team used to playing that way.

Even the series' known capacity for turning certainties on their head hadn't prepared us for a 36-point defeat, 100-64.

The Australians ran faster than Ireland, tackled harder and, most calamitously, kicked better than the holders of the Cormac McAnallen Cup.

Well prepared and short only two definite starters, Ireland were also putting on show a raft of new faces with big seasons behind them. The Australian television commentary team was particularly taken with Colm Cooper - "the Freddie Flintoff of Gaelic football" - and lost no opportunity to roll off their tongues pained-sounding, long-vowelled cries of "Gooooch" whenever the Kerry star took to the field.

But it was like putting an Olympic marksman in the middle of a stampede with an unfamiliar gun. " 'E's a flop," crowed the commentator to former Australian manager Garry Lyon, who had been larging the Gooch prior to his arrival.

"We are in a state of shock and deep disappointment," was McGrath's more sombre reaction. "Their athleticism, their power, their ability to kick was probably beyond what we had expected. We simply couldn't match it.

"We have to ensure we go out next week and make it a much more competitive and closer game. Any right-minded person would say that the series is beyond us, but we have to go out to narrow that deficit."

Asked did he regret not paying greater attention to the Australian players, the Irish manager took the Edith Piaf line.

"We knew what they would do, how they would try to play. What we were trying to do was to move the ball fast, pressurise them, take responsibility, go for three-pointers. But the Australians were so skilful tonight we weren't able to track them at times, didn't get enough of the ball and when we did we were under serious pressure and our shooting quite often let us down."

Yet there was no counter-measure. At the start of the second quarter it was announced that Ireland had used three interchange players in the first 20 minutes. McGrath said afterwards he thought it might have been five. Whatever.

Australia had used 15: one every 80 seconds.

"Whoever we brought in didn't have an impact on the game," said the Irish manager. "They moved men in and out much faster than we did and that made a difference."

Australia coach Kevin Sheedy was satisfied but restrained. He's also an old pro, who never loses the chance to hustle for ticket sales - which he did for the cameras: "If you want an exciting game, the complete opposite of soccer . . ."

More importantly, Sheedy devised and implemented the startling about-turn in Australia's performances. "We picked better ball-handlers and decision makers," he explained. "It wasn't just about speed."

He signed off by paying tribute to his daughter, Jess, who had her debs last night. "It's her valedictory ball and I'm the father that's sometimes never there. That's a pity, but I hope she's having a great night."

Better anyway than the dressingroom across the ground, which would have been even happier than Jess if "Sheeds" had spent the night in a tuxedo.