International Rules: The first stirrings weren't particularly encouraging. Pádraic Joyce got the international call-up for the 2000 series, the most disastrous from an Irish point of view. Manager Brian McEniff was waiting for the summer's form players to join his training panel. And waiting.

For the first time in over 60 years the All-Ireland winners were taken to a replay in both semi-final and final. Not only that but the first Test took place the day before the All-Ireland final replay between Kerry and Galway. His first-choice panel chipped away by withdrawals and unable to prepare properly, McEniff had to improvise and the outcome was Ireland's heaviest series defeat.

Joyce made his debut in the second Test, a 51-68 rout, and failed to score. Even his selection had been contentious with McEniff advised against picking the Galway forward whose natural game was believed to be unsuited to the demands of the international series.

Such scepticism wasn't unreasonable. A classical footballer, who is very deliberate in possession and a stylish kicker, Joyce isn't particularly fast and is able to create the sort of space needed to choose his shots carefully. In the helter-skelter world of International Rules he could easily have been over-run by opponents armed with a tackle that doesn't exist in the game at home.

"It was hard to adapt," he remembers, "but if you see some big Aussie coming at you, you make up your mind pretty quickly what you're going to do with the ball."

From these fretful beginnings Joyce has gone on to become Ireland's joint-top scorer of all time - top since the resumption of the series in 1998 and level overall with Derry's Dermot McNicholl on 55 - a distinction he will surely make exclusively his own in the coming fortnight.

He has also been to the forefront of an Irish revolution in the game, which has little by little imposed the skills of Gaelic football on the international game.

Whether by emphasising quick movement of the ball and taking three-pointers (the score over the bar, a point in GAA rules) or by playing soccer-style on the ground as they did so memorably to the bewilderment of the Australians in the second Test in Adelaide four years ago, Ireland have become more confident about applying their own, different skills.

"The first Test (in 2001) was level enough and so was the second for a while until we took a collective decision, management and players, to concentrate more on Gaelic skills - get the ball in front of the Australians and try to turn them. It worked very well - they don't like the ball on the ground or pulling on the ground - and we also concentrated on kicking three-pointers from 30 and 40 yards."

It has forced a change of heart on the part of the Australians, who have increasingly opted for smaller quicker, more skilful players in response.

"Australia have definitely changed," says Joyce. "They used to go for big strong footballers like Justin Leppitsch and their tactics were predictable: get the ball down the wings and then across to the big men. Then we started using smaller, faster players.

"I'd say the biggest we had last year were Ciarán McManus and Tadhg Kennelly."

Joyce's tactical appreciation is one of the weapons he brings to the game. But on the field his football talents are more than proven and McEniff says that the package has been greatly to the benefit of the international team.

"I remember talking to John O'Mahony (Joyce's manager in Galway) about how to get the maximum out of him because there's so much to him and his game. He's very good around the goals, a good score-taker and he has great movement even though he's not the paciest - he knows when and how to move.

"He's also a good head on him and needs very little guidance. He's one of those players I can see coming back into management. He has those leadership qualities."

The leadership potential was harnessed by current manager Peter McGrath when he appointed Joyce his captain for last year's series.

Although the two Tests were haplessly one-sided and there were major question marks over the Australians' ability and preparation, Joyce counts last year as the favourite memory of his international career.

"Captaining the team to win the series and accepting the Cormac McAnallen Cup for the first time meant a lot to me. Cormac was a great player for us and a great fella to go on tour with, great craic to be with. God rest him."

The series takes place against a backdrop of increasing AFL interest in GAA players with Tyrone's Seán Cavanagh being courted by the Brisbane Lions and trials for promising youngsters taking place in Ireland. Joyce can see the attraction of playing full-time, particularly with the recent publicity surrounding Tadhg Kennelly's grand final success with the Sydney Swans.

"It's a long way to travel and hard for 18- or 19-year-olds to uproot even if some have made the transition. But it would appeal to a lot of Gaelic players."

Parallel to this is the increasing prominence given to the possibility of intercounty players receiving some sort of financial reward. For Joyce the trend is moving in that direction but hardly quickly enough to affect his own career.

"You can see little parts creeping in with sponsors and image rights but I don't think it's ever going to end up fully professional. Maybe players who are minor now might see some change, for instance corporate sponsorships."

He works with MRC Building Services, dividing his week between Dublin and Galway until early next year. He is grateful for the leeway his job extends him and says that the company "appreciates what you do".

For the next fortnight Joyce and the Irish team will sample the life of professional sportsmen and then regardless of how the series goes it will be back to everyday reality. In the interim it's time to travel.