To say that the International Rules series matches of the mid-2000s were heated would be the ultimate understatement.
Behind an undercurrent of tension was an outpouring of violence on field between Ireland's Gaelic footballers and Australia's AFL Rules players that peaked in 2006.
Former Wexford corner forward Matty Forde, Kerry's multiple All Ireland winner Kieran Donaghy and ex-Meath midfielder Anthony Moyles were all involved in the Ireland side in that era and as this year's series approaches, that trio joined us to reminisce about the way things boiled over just over a decade ago.
Forde was punched by the Australia co-captain Chris Johnson who was hit with a ban for that in the second game of the 2005 series.
"For more than punching me, it went back to the '04 series where I'd forgotten the scores and how much we'd won by. I think we won the series by over 50 points over the two legs and they really weren't happy with that," said Forde.
Ireland's Kieran Donaghy has a few words with Australia's Ryan Crowley ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
"We could see that from the post-match reception in Croke Park that, you know, Australians don't like losing at anything and especially not to a bunch of amateurs as being us.
"In 2005, they were really going to put down a marker that they weren't 50 points a worse team off than us and they were going to let us know that."
The punch in the second test came after seeing Brian McGuigan floored by Johnson: "Literally when I'd seen him hitting the ground, I was running across to see if he was okay and just as I got there, I got a box as well and I was knocked out."
Anthony Moyles ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
Moyles and Donaghy joined the fray under Sean Boylan's management in 2006 when the ex-Meath manager picked a "big, physical team" of 6 foot-plus players to counter what had happened the previous year.
Graham Geraghty had been publicly targeted by an Australian player by way of comments in the media in 2006 about retribution for a previous incident and ultimately the Meath footballer was taken off on a stretcher.
Donaghy was his room-mate and recalled the effect that had on the Ireland team.
Graham Geraghty of Ireland is carried off ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
"His head hit the ground first and he was gone and that rattled us," he recalled of that second test in '06, adding that it "left a sour taste in the match".
"That day they were like bullies in the playground being let loose with no teachers around and having a go at the younger kids there."
Boylan was disgusted by the violence he saw on the pitch and Moyles recalled his Meath inter-county manager being as angry as he'd ever seen him.
"Sean was irate. I'd never seen him as upset," said Moyles, "And it did cloud over an unbelievably brilliant weekend which was the weekend beforehand."
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