The Tigers have recruited heavily over the off-season, but have gained a distinct Irish flavour on their list.

The team boasts five players from the Emerald Isle-  and another from Latvia - following on from the successful experiment that  saw Niall Kilcoyne and Glenn Plunkett flourish late in 2013.

Kilcoyne's development is particularly noteworthy, for he has been named a vice-captain for the Tigers' 2014 campaign,  illustrating the risk for reward benefits such an investment can reap.

The AFL has a history of converting Irishmen into prospering players, from the likes of Jim Stynes and Tadhg Kennelly to current excitement machines  Pearce Hanley and Zach Tuohy.

Funnily enough though, this group of Guinness-drinking workers didn't know each other before relocating to Mount Isa.

``Two of us work together and we met Bernard [Crawford] socially, and one thing led to another and we started playing AFL,'' Ciaran Mooney said.

``This is my first go at AFL but the boys have been great.'' 

Mooney - who hails from Limerick - said there were similarities between AFL and Gaelic football, which had made the transition slightly smoother.

``I played a lot of Gaelic so I'm used to kicking the ball,'' he said.

``The intensity and fitness are similar, but it has been challenging making the adjustment. I'm slowly getting there.

``The boys playing last year seemed to have adjusted well, so I'm sure we can do the same.'' 

Mooney backed the Irish Tigers to go far this year, praising the group's effort on the training track.

``We're training hard and everyone is giving 110 per cent,'' he said.

``The main thing is getting through that first game this weekend.'' 

Tigers will play Lake Nash at Legend Oval from 2pm tomorrow.