Gaelic Football - Rules & Regulations discussion/clarification

[on the sideline]

I wish a longer, more gradual approach had been taken by FRC. This is an experiment. Any decent scientist will change only one thing at a time to see what works. The FRC have made 7+ changes and it's a mess.
Start with 3 v 3 in each half. See if that has an impact. Maybe go 4 v 4 if needed.
It would be a tweak rather than inventing a new game.

100%.  I agree.

It's all too rushed. Like let's make as many changes as possible inside a few months. Not running pre season comps was a mess also.

Change 2 things this year. Review it and see. 

I'd say the horse has bolted unfortunately.

It's not far away - the game is much more entertaining. They haven't ironed out the unintended consequences and there is too much confusion from refs. I laugh at all this nonsense about kickouts turning into a lottery and being an unseemly mess - which I see as one of the successes of the new rules. This is one area where the new rules take is back to the pre-McGuinness era.

Shur the new rule of not going back to the gk would have lead to more of those aerial contests anyway. The arc isn't needed for that. Teams would press up hard on short kickouts and, especially now with the kickout being time limited, the goalkeeper would have to go long if his short options were all shut down.

But to limit a teams space to take their own restart they way they have with the arc is ridiculous. It isn't needed.

This is a perfect example of them bringing in too many changes in the one go, especially ones that overlap each other like this.

[Armagh18]

I wish a longer, more gradual approach had been taken by FRC. This is an experiment. Any decent scientist will change only one thing at a time to see what works. The FRC have made 7+ changes and it's a mess.
Start with 3 v 3 in each half. See if that has an impact. Maybe go 4 v 4 if needed.
It would be a tweak rather than inventing a new game.

100%.  I agree.

It's all too rushed. Like let's make as many changes as possible inside a few months. Not running pre season comps was a mess also.

Change 2 things this year. Review it and see. 

I'd say the horse has bolted unfortunately.

It's not far away - the game is much more entertaining. They haven't ironed out the unintended consequences and there is too much confusion from refs. I laugh at all this nonsense about kickouts turning into a lottery and being an unseemly mess - which I see as one of the successes of the new rules. This is one area where the new rules take is back to the pre-McGuinness era.

Shur the new rule of not going back to the gk would have lead to more of those aerial contests anyway. The arc isn't needed for that. Teams would press up hard on short kickouts and, especially now with the kickout being time limited, the goalkeeper would have to go long if his short options were all shut down.

But to limit a teams space to take their own restart they way they have with the arc is ridiculous. It isn't needed.

This is a perfect example of them bringing in too many changes in the one go, especially ones that overlap each other like this.

Agree.

[Mad Mentor]

Come the dry pitches of summer football would the jeopardy of the goalkeeper up the field v the chance of a turnover and a long range shot at goal - as happened yesterday in the Laois/Antrim match - become a factor? If the three forwards stay wide of the goal it will mean they can't be marked as tightly without leaving the goal wide open. In any case I'm sure there will be many and varied ways used to get round/abuse/exploit the new rules as the season evolves.

[Captain Obvious]

It's not Gaelic Football for me."

"What we have now is outdoor basketball with a bit of soccer zonal, with 11 behind the ball defending and a bit of rugby thrown in with 11 around the ball for kickouts."

Robbie Brennan Meath Manager on the new rules

[Milltown Row2]

Did a game today, was ok for most parts, missed a 3v3 and called a 3v3 incorrectly until I noticed the lad was on the sideline. But ended up giving an indirect free for team in possession

It's going to be more difficult come league championship when more on the line

[Rossfan]

It's not Gaelic Football for me."

"What we have now is outdoor basketball with a bit of soccer zonal, with 11 behind the ball defending and a bit of rugby thrown in with 11 around the ball for kickouts."

Robbie Brennan Meath Manager on the new rules

What had we the last few years?

[APM]

It's not Gaelic Football for me."

"What we have now is outdoor basketball with a bit of soccer zonal, with 11 behind the ball defending and a bit of rugby thrown in with 11 around the ball for kickouts."

Robbie Brennan Meath Manager on the new rules

What had we the last few years?

100%

He has described football post 2012

[Captain Obvious]

It's not Gaelic Football for me."

"What we have now is outdoor basketball with a bit of soccer zonal, with 11 behind the ball defending and a bit of rugby thrown in with 11 around the ball for kickouts."

Robbie Brennan Meath Manager on the new rules

What had we the last few years?

He was only asked what he thinks of the game now under the new rules and he's managing a team who's in good form and could just as easily have talked it up as great.

[JoG2]

I wish a longer, more gradual approach had been taken by FRC. This is an experiment. Any decent scientist will change only one thing at a time to see what works. The FRC have made 7+ changes and it's a mess.
Start with 3 v 3 in each half. See if that has an impact. Maybe go 4 v 4 if needed.
It would be a tweak rather than inventing a new game.

100%.  I agree.

It's all too rushed. Like let's make as many changes as possible inside a few months. Not running pre season comps was a mess also.

Change 2 things this year. Review it and see. 

I'd say the horse has bolted unfortunately.

It's not far away - the game is much more entertaining. They haven't ironed out the unintended consequences and there is too much confusion from refs. I laugh at all this nonsense about kickouts turning into a lottery and being an unseemly mess - which I see as one of the successes of the new rules. This is one area where the new rules take is back to the pre-McGuinness era.

Shur the new rule of not going back to the gk would have lead to more of those aerial contests anyway. The arc isn't needed for that. Teams would press up hard on short kickouts and, especially now with the kickout being time limited, the goalkeeper would have to go long if his short options were all shut down.

But to limit a teams space to take their own restart they way they have with the arc is ridiculous. It isn't needed.

This is a perfect example of them bringing in too many changes in the one go, especially ones that overlap each other like this.

Nail on the head

[onefineday]

I wish a longer, more gradual approach had been taken by FRC. This is an experiment. Any decent scientist will change only one thing at a time to see what works. The FRC have made 7+ changes and it's a mess.
Start with 3 v 3 in each half. See if that has an impact. Maybe go 4 v 4 if needed.
It would be a tweak rather than inventing a new game.

That would have been ideal, unfortunately the moaning by managers and other vested interests each time there's a rule change means new rules can only be introduced every 5 years - therefore the incremental approach could take 20 years to reach its conclusion!!

[Louther]

Managers crying about rules and the game, should have a bit of self reflection and see where they have taken the game over the last 20 years. You hear them talk about control and that's what they miss. Controlling the life of the game and the players on the pitch.

Much more enjoyable to watch and games have lots of action. A lead doesn't seem out of reach, due to the scoring but also cause the team with the lead can't control and slow the game as they use to. In fact, it's dangerous for them to take foot off the gas as they struggle to get a foothold again.

Few minor things can be tided up like the hooter, maybe a throw up for the 20 second breach etc.

The dissent rule has certainly helped at inter county, never seen any balls moved up 50m over weekend.

At club game at weekend and was no drama with 3 up, 3 back rule, ref said it's ok to patrol.

[Rossfan]

Spot on Louther.
The managers/coaches had created a game of chess controlled by themselves.
The "Enhanced Rules" are bringing some chaos and players having to react on the spot.

[tbrick18]

A question for any referee on here.
We had an u14 game at the weekend in a development league, mostly P7s on our team. We struggled getting kickouts aways with distance being a problem for young lads playing for the first time on a full sized pitch. The ref then informed us that provided the ball travels 15m and we have no-one in the arc when the ball is kicked, that we can receive the ball in the arc - in other words players can run into the arc as soon as the ball is kicked to receive the ball.
Is this correct? In our first game we were blew up any time a player touched the ball inside the arc from the kickout so its confusing.

[APM]

A question for any referee on here.
We had an u14 game at the weekend in a development league, mostly P7s on our team. We struggled getting kickouts aways with distance being a problem for young lads playing for the first time on a full sized pitch. The ref then informed us that provided the ball travels 15m and we have no-one in the arc when the ball is kicked, that we can receive the ball in the arc - in other words players can run into the arc as soon as the ball is kicked to receive the ball.
Is this correct? In our first game we were blew up any time a player touched the ball inside the arc from the kickout so its confusing.

I'd like to know the answer to this too.

It maybe a short enough kick (21m) for a 14 year old, but this rule will mean teams are more likely to get hemmed in, because most U14s kickouts won't clear much beyond 45. Therefore it's very handy for opposition teams to flood the area between the 45 & the arc and make the kickout a lottery. Grand to drive a bit of chaos at county level for two evenly matched teams. But when it's a one sided U14 game, and one team is struggling to get out of their own half it's a different story.

[GTP]

This is lifted from the Down discussion board - my understanding is that each county can decide which of the enhanced rules are implemented at underage level in each age group. My first reading of this was that it sounded fair enough but on second read for u14 with players wanting to take possession for the defending team having to be outside the 40m arc it puts a lot of pressure on the goalkeeper. And I wouldn't want to be refereeing it.

U12 Football:
Whilst it is not officially required that rules be introduced at u12, we see this age as good opportunity to introduce some of their more basic and manageable principles. It is important that we do not detach our juvenile games completely from what our young players watch their County heroes playing in Pairc Esler or on the TV. We would recommend therefore that the following elements of the new FRC rules be introduced at u12 level in 2025;
• 1 v 1 throw-in
• Solo & Go (at u12 level, the Solo & Go may only be utilised when a player is fouled whilst in possession of the ball (physical fouls only). Solo & Go can only be taken by the player who was initially fouled.
• Dissent – Punishable by a 20m advancement

U14 Football:
We would recommend that the following elements of the new FRC rules be introduced at u14
level in 2025;
• 1 v 1 throw-in
• Solo & Go (full implantation)
• Goalkeeper Rule (full implementation)
• New Scoring System (2 points outside 40m arc)
• Dissent - 50m penalty
• 3 v 3 Structure at 15-a-side
• 2 v 2 Structure at 13-a-side

U14 Kickouts:
We would recommend that the following variation of the FRC Kickout Rule be adopted at u14
Level in both League and Championships moving forward:
• Kickouts may be taken from the ground or out of the hands, from the 21m line.
• Players on both teams can position themselves anywhere on the field of play but must remain at least 13m from the player hitting the kickout.
• Any player on the team taking the kickout, wanting to gain possession of the ball directly from the kickout, must be outside the 40m arc, when the ball is kicked (players may move into the arc to gain possession of the ball once the ball is kicked).
• Players from the opposing team may position themselves inside the 40m arc and win possession of the ball.
• Where a team nominate an outfield player to hit the kickout, the player wearing the Goalkeeper jersey must remain inside the small rectangle. This player cannot receive the ball.

U16 & U18 Football:
We would recommend that the following elements of the new FRC rules be introduced at u16
& U18 level in 2025;
• Full Engagement with all aspects of the new FRC Rules
• 3 v 3 Structure at 15-a-side
• 2 v 2 Structure at 13-a-side
Ulster Schools GAA have confirmed to us that they will NOT be implementing the new FRC rules in any of their competitions across the remainder of the 24/25 academic year. We acknowledge that this may cause slight confusion for players playing club and schools football simultaneously, but it will only be for a small window as most of the Ulster Schools competitions will be concluded by Easter