Colm Begley wants to prove a point to the Aussies on Saturday.

The Laois star won't be lacking in motivation after his five-year spell in the AFL with Brisbane Lions and St. Kilda ended in 2009 after he failed to find a new club.

"For me, there are two reasons why I want to do well," he said in the Irish News.

"Firstly, GAA players who are amateur are getting a chance to prove themselves against some of the top athletes in the world. That's a personal thing for each player. And the AFL guys are some of the top athletes in the world, fitness wise and strength wise, especially in field-based sports.

"As GAA players, we consider ourselves professional too in the way we train. So to go up against these fellas and beat them is always a proud moment for lads.

"Then, for me, I also like to show myself and maybe show them that, 'Oh yeah, he could have made it, he was a good player out there, and he's back now playing for Ireland'."

Begley still keeps in touch with some of his former team-mates in the AFL who are baffled by the fact that GAA remains an amateur sport.

"It's a sense of pride for them that they don't want to be beaten by amateurs. But over the years they do know what's going on in Ireland. Often the boys have asked me, 'How are you still not getting paid?' And I said, 'I don't know...'

"They've asked about training and the pre-season that we do. Some of their coaches last year even talked to me about what our training is like so they do know that we're not just lads who are out training Tuesday and Thursday and play a game on Saturday and go on the beer."

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