Showdown rivals Travis Boak and Rory Sloane to lock arms for Australia in another first at Adelaide Oval

CLUB rivals will become mates when the Travis Boak and Rory Sloane create more history against the Irish at Adelaide Oval this week.

HISTORY. From rivals at the first Showdown at Adelaide Oval to Australian team-mates in the first International Rules Test at the Oval — Rory Sloane, left, and Travis Boak. Picture: Sarah Reed.

RORY Sloane and Travis Boak hold a significant place in Adelaide Oval history — as passionate rivals — for calling the first toss at the first Crows v Power Showdown played in elite football’s return to the city in 2014.

Next Sunday, they will stand side-by-side as Australian teammates as another chapter in sporting history is written at the Oval with the first International Rules Test against Ireland at the ground.

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“It is one of the reasons I wanted to be part of this series again,” says Boak, who was denied Australian selection in 2015 by injury. “(Without State-of-Origin) this is the only chance I get to be around the very best players of the AFL.

“And it is the only chance I have to put on an Australian jumper.”

Fierce rivals Travis Boak and Rory Sloane will be teammates when Australia faces Ireland. Picture: Sarah Reed

Sloane will play in his first International Rules Test. Boak will be in his second international having first experienced the hybrid AFL-Gaelic game in the one-off Test with Ireland in Perth in 2014.

“I already know Rory Sloane is one of best players in the AFL,” Boak said. “I know he is one of the hardest players when he goes at the footy.

“But now I get the opportunity to see how Rory goes about his football. How he copes behind the scenes. It is not too often you get that chance when AFL is club football and not representative football.

“One of the biggest incentives to be part of International Rules is learning from the AFL’s best players. How do they train? How do they deal with the day-to-day challenges of being on top of their game?

“That is one of the reasons I am excited to be part of the Australian team again — and why the best players want to be part of the series.

“I get to be part of an Australian squad that has Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Nat Fyfe, Scott Pendlebury ... so there is going to be a lot of learn from such quality players.

“And this time it is at Adelaide Oval. I might get some Crows fans actually cheering for me.”

Travis Boak and Rory Sloane in their usual combative stance. Picture: Sarah Reed

Sloane, 27, would have partnered Boak in Victorian teams had Origin not been wiped off the AFL calendar at the end of 1999.

“It is unfortunate we do not play Origin,” said Sloane. “But I am proud I get to play with some great AFL stars — superstars — for our country in the green and gold.

“It is an amazing group of talented players the AFL has put together. I’m grateful for the chance to run around with this group.”

Sloane is an advocate of the hybrid game that does draw its critics from football traditionalists questioning why the AFL would endorse a format that does not even involve an Australian football.

“I’ve always watched it — and always enjoyed watching what is a quick game,” Sloane said. “And I’m happy to play.”

The 22-man Australian squad will gather for training in Adelaide on Thursday. The second Test will mark the AFL’s exit from Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday, November 18.

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AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Australia’s 22-man squad for the two IRS Tests against Ireland at Adelaide Oval (on November 12) and Subiaco Oval in Perth (November 18).

Adelaide: Eddie Betts, Rory Laird, Rory Sloane

Brisbane: Dayne Zorko

Carlton: Kade Simpson

Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury

Essendon: Brendon Goddard, Zach Merrett

Fremantle: Nat Fyfe

Geelong: Gary Ablett, Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood

Hawthorn: Shaun Burgoyne, Jack Gunston

Melbourne: Michael Hibberd, Neville Jetta

North Melbourne: Robbie Tarrant, Ben Brown

Port Adelaide: Travis Boak, Paddy Ryder, Chad Wingard

West Coast: Luke Shuey

Coach: Chris Scott