Six pointers are rare in the International Rules games with the ball needing to go into a net protected by a goalkeeper. Lloyd's chance came when the ball spilled clear about 20m out from goal. ""I was front and square and the ball spilled from the contest so I kicked it off the ground and the ball curled into the back of the net,"" Lloyd said. ""The Essendon boys were calling me David Beckham during the half time break - I was pretty happy with that because I love my soccer. I wasn't about to tell them that it was actually good luck more than good management.""
Lloyd said Australian coach Gary Lyon was very disappointed to lose the series. ""It was his first time coaching and he was very keen to follow up the good win we had in Ireland last season,"" Lloyd said. ""In hindsight our preparation wasn't as good as that of the Irish team. We also had 18 players who had never played the game before and our skill level was well down.
""Gary (Lyon) also said that the loss should hurt and that if it didn't then you wouldn't be a part of next year's side. I think you will find that from now on the vast majority of the players selected to play will have played the game before.""
Lloyd said the Australian players had mixed with the Irish at post-match functions following each game. ""They were very excited. Their coach was really pumped because I think his job was basically on the line. It is a huge sport in Ireland and the school children in Ireland were given a day off school to watch the games,"" Lloyd said. ""They told me that they also get AFL televised over there now and they obviously watch it - they knew all the players.""
