Exprimental Football Rules

[corn02]

Zulu have to disagree with pretty much everything you have just said.

"Applied the rules selectively"? Surely this is an issue that there is no consistency.

There is no doubt that the physicality has been reduced. Tough and physical tackling is one of the highlights of our game yet it is being eroded. Even the fact that county players are saying they are hesitating in the tackle is proof that this is the case.

Standing off is good in certain cases, tackling is the norm. If all defenders apply the standing off ethos, we will be playing netball soon.

[Zulu]

Applied the rules selectively"? Surely this is an issue that there is no consistency.

This consistency argument is thrown about in the GAA willy nilly, there has never been, nor will there ever be, consistency in reffing in the GAA and I'd prefer a common sense ref than a consistent ref every day of the week, the point is that regardless of the rules consistency is an impossible goal.

There is no doubt that the physicality has been reduced. Tough and physical tackling is one of the highlights of our game yet it is being eroded. Even the fact that county players are saying they are hesitating in the tackle is proof that this is the case.

I'd disagree entirely with that statement, I've seen great tackling in all the games so far and whole lot less pulling a dragging, good defenders stand up there man and wait for the opportunity to get a good tackle in and the new rules encourage this IMO, rather than the poor tackling that we have often seen in the past. All the games I mentioned were good physical games and I've seen block downs, clean dispossessions and big hits in the league this year so I think anyone saying the rules have drastically reduced the physicality is seeing what they want to see.

Like I've said I don't think these rules are the best we can do and I think some refs are simply woeful but I see no evidence to shunt these rules until they've seen atleast one championship.

[Jinxy]

Lads, the rules have always been applied selectively in gaelic football.
It's not like it's a new phenomenon.

[Rodman]

I just dont think there was anything wrong with the rules in the first place. It seems to me the gaa authorities for some reason are hell bent in taking the contact out of the game. A defenders job is hard enough without running the risk of genuinely mis-timimg a tackle and getting a yellow for it. Its probably not that bad to get yellow carded in the league but to get yellow carded say in a championship game after 5 minutes for genuinely trying to put a tackle in would be pretty harsh. This is when you are really going to see the non-contact gaelic the gaa authorities are after.  Do you think players , club or county want these implemented, i wouldnt think there are to many.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I don't see the rules making it through to the Championship, but I do see yellows being issued like confetti at a Tyronie's wedding *, on the directive from on high...

* Just getting in on the general swing of things.

[AFS]

I just dont think there was anything wrong with the rules in the first place. It seems to me the gaa authorities for some reason are hell bent in taking the contact out of the game. A defenders job is hard enough without running the risk of genuinely mis-timimg a tackle and getting a yellow for it. Its probably not that bad to get yellow carded in the league but to get yellow carded say in a championship game after 5 minutes for genuinely trying to put a tackle in would be pretty harsh. This is when you are really going to see the non-contact gaelic the gaa authorities are after.  Do you think players , club or county want these implemented, i wouldnt think there are to many.

I agree with this and your last post. These new rules definitely make it more difficult for individual defenders to go about their jobs. The most obvious and most effective way of countering this is through shepherding more men back. If these rules go through expect to see ultra defensive systems become common place. Its the inevitable solution to this defensive problem.

I would like to add that, although I think the rules were well intentioned, they made an absolute balls of the whole thing. The main problem I have is that punishments for innocuous indiscretions are completely disproportional to the crime. You can get sent off for innocently mistiming a tackle by a fraction of a second - there've been numerous examples of this, such as Tommy Freeman verses Armagh, or Ciaran McKeever in the same game (a sending off, by the way, that probably cost Armagh 2 points and a realistic shot at promotion  ). Another real bugbear of mine is the fact that previously you could've gotten two yellows five minutes apart in a game and not incurred any future suspension, but now if you get two yellows five or six games apart you get a one match ban - a completely ridiculous situation.

[Rossfan]

Doesnt matter a damn what rules you have until Referees start implementing them consistently instead of the laissez faire system of rule implementation that we get at present.

[Maximus Marillius]

IMO the refs are the reason why we are at this juncture today. If they implemented the rules properly there would be no need for this joke. Croke Park are as much to blame as the refs, they don't make refs do what has to be done, but they bootle it and come up with this tripe.

[corn02]

GAA referees are in favour of adopting the experimental disciplinary rules on a permanent basis.

The rules will be either ratified or rejected at annual Congress on Saturday week. Referees are hoping they get the green light after winning their approval during the subsidiary competitions and national leagues.



PJ McGrath, chairman of the Refereeing Committee, says officials would be sad to see the new rules go:

"I think they've gone very well as an experiment and I would hope they would be passed at Congress as well because they're very defined as far as referees are concerned.

"This is particularly the case for the red cards and yellow cards. They are totally defined and there's no excuse. It's either a red card or a yellow card. The black card is at a referee's discretion but there's no harm in having a bit of discretion as well because things happen in a match that need taking care of as well.

"Certainly if the red cards and red cards were passed I'd be very happy and the referees would as well. I think it's very important to the progression of the games.

"The rules have never been defined as they are in this group now. We had a referees' seminar very recently in Athlone and it was unanimous. The decision of over 100 of our top national referees in both hurling and football was unanimous that they want to see the rules get through.

"It's the same for both codes. Both sides said that it was well worthwhile trying them out and that it's the way to go."

[The GAA]

Ok, so now we know what the bigwigs in croke park want and we know what the referes want.

what are the chances we'll find out what the overwhelming majority of members want? cubs will not be consulted, managers will not be consulted and players will not consulted.

[corn02]

Ok, so now we know what the bigwigs in croke park want and we know what the referes want.

what are the chances we'll find out what the overwhelming majority of members want? cubs will not be consulted, managers will not be consulted and players will not consulted.

Yip, as has been my fears all along and why I still think they will be passed.

They need a two/thirds majority though.

[magpie seanie]

Zulu - if you think Dublin v Tyrone was a good game of football then the lights must have blinded you. There is more to football than some good scores (especially with no-one tackling). I'd say you're definitely a forward!

The physical confrontation is what sets our games apart. To be able to meet that and still have the skill and courage to do the business is what sets our top players apart. With these rules courage and bravery are gone out of the games completely as there is no fear you'll ever get a good (fair) clatter.

[Hardy]

Absolutely correct, Seanie. This is a disaster about to befall the game and we're sleepwalking into it, herded along  by the administration with a huge PR campaign. I simply don't understand the motivation of the administrators to ruin the game like this. What's at the back of it?

[longrunsthefox]

Zulu - if you think Dublin v Tyrone was a good game of football then the lights must have blinded you. There is more to football than some good scores (especially with no-one tackling). I'd say you're definitely a forward!

The physical confrontation is what sets our games apart. To be able to meet that and still have the skill and courage to do the business is what sets our top players apart. With these rules courage and bravery are gone out of the games completely as there is no fear you'll ever get a good (fair) clatter.

Absolutly-there wasn't a decent tackle put in all night and was a feel good event with lots of pretty points and no intensity.

[Zulu]

Lads lots of different things go into making a good game and I don't think anyone can reasonably say Dublin/Tyrone wasn't a good game, had it everything? No but thereas still much to admire in it and I don't recall too many saying otherwise at the time.

Secondly where is this idea that a 'good fair clatter' is no longer allowed or indeed encouraged, the rules haven't changed it's just the sanctions for what were always fouls that has changed. A good fair shoulder is still allowed but now jersey pulling, tackling around the neck, body checking, tripping players etc. have a punishment that discourages players from making these type of 'tackles'.

I've played every position on the field, including goalkeeper, and nobody likes good hard, manly football more than myself but most of the fouls I've mentioned are anything but manly. Like I've already said if given more time I think the rules will adapt more to the spirit of the game and players will be given the benefit if a legitimate tackle was slightly late. But body checking, jersey pulling or dragging players down when they look like scoring is neither manly nor legal and should be punished properly.

Absolutly-there wasn't a decent tackle put in all night and was a feel good event with lots of pretty points and no intensity.

Sorry now lads but that's nonsense, league games are always less intense than championship, especially early games because players aren't particularily fit and on a big pitch like CP that will always lead to a looser type of game but there was plenty of good defending in the game and even if there wasn't there have been games where there has so to pick out one as clear evidence that the rules lead to 'pansy' football is nonsense.