AUSTRALIA'S consul-general in New York, Nick Minchin, has called for an International Rules game between Australia and Ireland to be played in New York in 2016.
The former Australian senator and minister said if the AFL and Gaelic Athletic Association could agree to push for a game in the Big Apple the consulate would do all it could do to ensure the fixture was a success.
"The government has a sport diplomacy policy," Minchin said.
"It would be in our remit to do all that we could."
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He said while playing a test match as soon as next year might seem overly ambitious it was definitely possible to organise a game in that time frame.
"If they started planning now and got the Irish agreement I think you could do it in 12 months," Minchin said.
At the Australian squad's jumper presentation in New York, Minchin, an Adelaide supporter, said the AFL should set itself the goal of playing a test match in New York.
He said ex-pats and New York's Irish contingent would "come to the game in droves".
"We really want to see you play one of these test matches in New York," Minchin said.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan was at the function alongside AFL Commissioner Jason Ball and Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, who is the Australian IRS team's chef de mission.
McLachlan said the first step was to have a discussion with the GAA about the series when he was in Dublin for the Virgin Australia International Rules Series' one-off test at Croke Park on November 21.
Australian coach Alastair Clarkson has been pushing hard for the series to be extended to two tests, with one played in New York.
The Hawthorn coach has a vision that more than two countries should eventually be involved in the game.
Minchin said a good venue for the game would probably be in the Greater New York area outside Manhattan, however he said there were sufficient options, particularly with rugby being more popular in New York than most people would imagine.
"I love the fact as an AFL supporter that these players have been given the opportunity to represent their country," Minchin said.
"I think it is important for the AFL."
