Nick Riewoldt, Austinn Jones, Brett Kirk, Matthew Lippin and Adam McPhee are the only 2004 All-Australian players who are available to travel to Ireland and play the two-test series which starts at Croke Park on October 17.

Lyon believes his side "have a better opportunity to win" with the unavailability of some of Aussie Rules leading stars.

"It gives us an opportunity then to go and pick players which are ideally suited to playing this game," he said.

"Every year I've coached we've taken at least two, and often four or five players who are not suited to the game. And they know it and we know it, but they wanted to go and we were really happy to take them and encourage them. But we also know we’re going to carry them for most of the game."

"We're not carrying one of those players this time around. Not one. So from that point of view it puts us, I think, in better shape than we've been in years gone by. In fact this squad's going to give us a better opportunity to win than had the All-Australian, every one of those players said 'yes I want to go'," he added.

Evidence of the new look to the squad comes in the non-appearance of Sydney Swans' shaven-headed forward Barry Hall, who famously duelled with Cork duo Graham Canty and Anthony Lynch last year, and first test goalscorers Brad Johnson and Craig Johnson are absent, along with 2003 captain Shane Crawford.

Brent Harvey, the scorer of Australia's second test goal in front of 60,235 at the MCG, which effectively handed them their series-winning seven-point buffer, is also missing.

Geelong full-back Matthew Scarlett, who was sent off last year for punching Westmeath's Dessie Dolan, is suspended.

Essendon skipper James Hird leads the visitors this time around, with Brisbane full-back Mal Michael expected to don the goalkeeper's jersey.

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL RULES SQUAD (v Ireland): Nick Riewoldt (All-Australia), Austinn Jones (All-Australia), Brett Kirk (All-Australia), Adam McPhee (All-Australia), Matthew Lappin (All-Australia), Luke Ball (St Kilda), Craig Bolton (Sydney), Jude Bolton (Sydney), Joel Bowden (Richmond), Michael Braun (West Coast), Nathan Brown (Richmond), Cameron Bruce (Melbourne), Joel Corey (Geelong), Jared Crouch (Sydney), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), Alan Didak (Collingwood), Andrew Embley (West Coast), Brad Green (Melbourne), Robert Haddrill (Fremantle), James Hird (Essendon), Max Hudghton (St Kilda), Jason Johnson (Essendon), Mark McVeigh (Essendon), Mal Michael (Brisbane Lions), Brady Rawlings (Kangaroos), Dean Solomon (Essendon).