Time for the TMO

[Mrs mills]

Does the typical GAA man get wiser with age or does he simply become more set in his ways? Consider the age profile of those we send off to Croke Park as reps for our counties. It may be getting younger but it is still dominated by the elder statesmen who are given the role as a reward for remaining in post for years and years.
Is this chapter of canons likely to embrace change? Are its members likely to be open to using ideas from other sports to settle on field disputes in big games?
I doubt it very much. Conservatism rules.
We need a TMO (Television Match Official) or, as a few may rename it this week, a Tyrone Match Official...to whom the referee may go for a final decision on something that will be game changing. Black cards and red cards would top the list. A TMO would not only help with accuracy of calls, his deliberation would also allow for some excitement and debate for a minute or so....and perhaps a quick bet among friends.

[south Laois]

There is one simple rule change that should be brought in as soon as possible. That is 30 seconds added for each substitute made. The amount of subs made near the end of games just to waste time is ridiculous.

[Zulu]

Agree on the subs. It's being used now to waste time and like soccer we need to address it as well. Retrospective bans for diving should also be brought in rather than asking a referee to deal with it by red carding.

[Hardy]

The "ball in play" clock for the last ten minutes is the only effective remedy I can think of for end-of-game time-wasting.

In the meantime, banning substitutions in the last five minutes would improve things somewhat.

[rrhf]

There was some lift on the TMO idea Mrs Mills...

[dferg]

I think it's a great idea.  Especially it Croke Park, the ref should be able to stall for a few seconds and have a quick glance at the big screen while he is talking to players.  Big difference with 10 minutes to go between a free in and a black card, to a free out and black card the other way.

[deiseach]

I'm not convinced there is anything wrong with injury time that couldn't be solved by refs just adding more injury time. It always baffles me how they can find as much at the end of 10 minutes of extra time as they can after 35 minutes of a normal half. Of course, the fact that this seems to be a universal characteristic with refs - it seems to be the same in soccer - makes me think that there is something I am missing and stopping the clock is necessary if we want a proper amount of ball in play.

[muppet]

I'm not convinced there is anything wrong with injury time that couldn't be solved by refs just adding more injury time. It always baffles me how they can find as much at the end of 10 minutes of extra time as they can after 35 minutes of a normal half. Of course, the fact that this seems to be a universal characteristic with refs - it seems to be the same in soccer - makes me think that there is something I am missing and stopping the clock is necessary if we want a proper amount of ball in play.

Stopping the clock might impact on double/triple headers. But all that is needed there is better structuring of the season, which has been discussed elsewhere.

Stopping the clock would also compliment any TMO process for checking scores or contentious incidents. It would give the referee time to make informed decisions without worrying about time to be added on.