AS FAR as career highlights go, Australia's International Rules captain Brent Harvey says representing his country sits just below winning an AFL premiership.
The North Melbourne midfielder is preparing for his fifth campaign against Ireland and ranks the achievement ahead of representing Victoria, but below the Roos' 1999 flag.
"I had the opportunity to represent my state, which was huge a fair while ago before it stopped being played," Harvey said.
"But to represent your country and pull on a jumper with the coat of arms on it is pretty special.
"It's right up there. I'd put this just behind winning a premiership."
Harvey said the Australians had prepared well for Friday night's First Test at Subiaco Oval and had managed to study video footage of their opponents.
But despite the aura of goodwill surrounding this series, which included the teams' joint dinner on Wednesday night, Harvey said the game would be ferociously contested.
"We'll be very competitive," he said.
"Every single person that's sat up here today (at Thursday's press conference) has spoken about how competitive and how hard it's going to be.
"And we'll be hard and ferocious at the footy."
Harvey echoed coach Mick Malthouse when he said the players had a responsibility to protect the International Rules concept for future generations of AFL footballers.
"I don't want to jeopardise what happens in the future," he said. "I don't want to jeopardise some young kid missing out on playing for Australia [by] doing something silly.
"Mick's picked a team that's character is fantastic and I can see that from the last four days we've spent together.
"So I'm sure it'll be played in the right spirit. But it'll certainly be played hard and fair."
The AFL says just over 30,000 tickets have been sold for the Perth clash.
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The 2008 Toyota International Rules Series: Australia v Ireland
First Test – Subiaco Oval, Perth, Friday October 24
Second Test – MCG, Melbourne, Friday October 31
For full coverage of the 2008 series, click here.
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