Colm Begley admits that he fears for the future of the International Rules series.
The Laois man was among the stars of an Irish 80-36 victory over a weakened Australia in Melbourne last Friday, and he feels that the magnitude of their defeat may lead to heightened apathy towards the series Down Under.
Just 22,921 turned out for the first Test, with the second set to take place in Queensland this Friday.
Now, Begley feels that the criticism that the series gets in both hemispheres is likely to pose further threat to a completion that’s popularity has generally waned in recent times.
"In some way I am a bit worried about it at this stage," the former Brisbane Lions man was quoted as saying in the Irish Examiner.
"I've seen a few comments on Twitter and a few people writing things back home and on the radio and they always have something to say about it. Some Irish journalists are even putting it down saying it's not really an Irish team and it's not an Irish game.
"But for me, you ask (any) sports person if they want to play for their country in any sport and they'll jump at the chance. It could be table tennis and I'd put on an Irish jersey. We have an opportunity to play with some of the best players from our country against professionals. I don't care what you say - that's an unbelievable experience.
"We've lads out here and they've burst their b***s for the whole thing. If the critics saw the huddle in the game after the first or third quarters or the dressing room at half-time and saw the passion in lads' faces then they'd believe it."