Niall McKeever and Pearce Hanley were in fine form as Brisbane Lions secured a comfortable 41-point victory over Melbourne at the MCG.

A former member of the Victorian Football League commission, the precursor to the AFL, has told the Age that Melbourne Demons’ Irish experiment would never have happened without the support of media baron Rupert Murdoch.

Melbourne Demons is exploring the possibility of an international rules series split between Dublin and Melbourne to honour Jim Stynes.

The Melbourne Football Club is honouring its Irish heritage with a special green training jersey.

Setanta Ó hAilpín looks set to miss the start of the AFL season proper with GWS Giants revealing the former hurler is out for two to three weeks with a corked calf.

Kerryman Tommy Walsh will don the Sydney Swans colours for the first time tonight (Friday).

Richmond’s Irish rookie John Heslin has returned home to Ireland indefinitely, the club has announced. The 19-year-old from Westmeath was selected by the Tigers with pick 90 in the 2011 Rookie Draft.

Both the AFL and Tadgh Kennelly have said the GAA was made fully aware of a recruitment camp held in Dublin this week. Kennelly, the AFL’s international ambassador, put 16 players through their paces in a series of fitness and agility tests at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, on Wednesday.

Zach Tuohy will be sporting a new look during the upcoming season with the Laois man having spent hours in the tattoo artist’s chair to complete the first part of what will be a full sleeve of body ink. “I’m here for a good time, not a long time,” Tuohy said of his decision to don the look that has become increasingly popular with AFL stars.

Jim Stynes has stepped down as president of Melbourne Demons. “As Melbourne enters what promises to be an exciting new season, and hopefully exciting new era, I see this an opportune time to step down as Melbourne president,” said Stynes, in a statement posted on the club’s website.