Gaelic Football - Rules & Regulations discussion/clarification

[EoinW]

Epic weekend-brilliant Ulster and Leinster finals and All Ireland U20 semi-final. Rule committee should get All Stars at the end of the season ✨️

My apologizes to the FRC.  I've been critical, however it was a glorious weekend of football.  I think they've been vindicated.  Gaelic football is now as entertaining as hurling.

I still don't like the 2 pointer but I suspect I'll have to live with it.  It's like Babe Ruth hitting 50 home runs in 1920.  Like 2 pointers from 45 metres, fans loved his mighty swats...thus ended the dead ball era.

However could we lose the 2 point frees?  The deciding 2 pointer in Sunday's game was a judgement call.  We shouldn't be awarding 2 point opportunities on referee decisions.  It's a no win situation for referees.  I'm sure Meath fans were rather unhappy with the call.

Nice to see goals still matter.  Armagh lost because they couldn't find the net(very unlucky on one) and the Kerry U20s would have had a great chance had they taken their goals.

[David McKeown]

Epic weekend-brilliant Ulster and Leinster finals and All Ireland U20 semi-final. Rule committee should get All Stars at the end of the season ✨️

My apologizes to the FRC.  I've been critical, however it was a glorious weekend of football.  I think they've been vindicated.  Gaelic football is now as entertaining as hurling.

I still don't like the 2 pointer but I suspect I'll have to live with it.  It's like Babe Ruth hitting 50 home runs in 1920.  Like 2 pointers from 45 metres, fans loved his mighty swats...thus ended the dead ball era.

However could we lose the 2 point frees?  The deciding 2 pointer in Sunday's game was a judgement call.  We shouldn't be awarding 2 point opportunities on referee decisions.  It's a no win situation for referees.  I'm sure Meath fans were rather unhappy with the call.

Nice to see goals still matter.  Armagh lost because they couldn't find the net(very unlucky on one) and the Kerry U20s would have had a great chance had they taken their goals.

I am not saying you are wrong but am genuinely interested how in your opinion the new rules contributed to that?  We had in my opinion a much better Ulster final in each of the last two years and the Leinster final was good because we had two well matched teams involved for the first time in over a decade.  I get the sense there is a real confirmation bias going on with these rules. 

[trileacman]

I think there are far too many rule changes and by nature they are too hard to police as you go down into club and underage games. I was in favour of simple, easily policed changes that would negate the possession based structure and increase contests between players. Some of the rule changes result from how brainlessly dogmatic most referees are. I mean the tap and go is so brilliant because so many refs wouldn't play an advantage and loved to prevent quick frees by making attacking teams take frees from the exact point of the foul or saying it hasn't travelled 13m. I literally witnessed hundreds of incidents where the defending teams cynical play was rewarded because the ref deliberately slowed down the attacking teams restart, allowing the defenders to all get behind the ball and pick up a marker.

I'd allow the tap and go free and get rid of all the rest in favour of one simple rule change.

A team inside their own 45 can't fist pass the ball. To make a fist pass you must be outside your own 45.

This would encourage several positive tactics and return towards the kicking style of football played before 2011-2012 where possession periods were shorter and contests for possession was the main facet of the game.

1. Encourages keepers to kick beyond the 45. Increasing contested kick outs and disincentivising short kick outs. No need for the 45m arc for kick outs.

2. Encourage teams to kick the ball longer and put 50/50 balls into their forwards, knowing that even if the ball is lost to a defending team the odds of recovering possession are a lot higher than at present.

3. Encourage teams to press up the pitch with forwards and leave forwards in the attacking 45. This achieves the same outcome as the 3v3 rule. It rebalances the placement of players on the pitch, essentially you need players along all lines of the pitch to contests for possession of the ball that's there. A return of sorts to the 6-2-6 formation that defined football.

4. Punish teams who want to run down the clock or hold possession to kill another team's momentum. Donegal and Louth both spent the last minutes of their wins running away from the goals, holding possession in the middle 3rd, where there is the least danger that they will lose the ball and the least danger that a turnover will lead to a guaranteed score. 3-5 minutes of keep ball is no-ones idea of an exciting end to a game.

If in practice this was excessively punitive on defenders it could be tweaked to allow handpasses inside the 21m line or the defender who wins back possession is allowed one hand pass to set up the kick-pass out of defence.

The issue with the rule changes is that whilst they've inflated scores the basic structure of games is unchanged. Defending teams are still rewarded with putting as many men as possible inside their own 40 arc and attackers are rewarded with keeping possession and making no-risk passes to each other until an spare man or tired defender is found and a point opportunity appears. Anyone who thinks this is insane or unworkable should take a look at the current rule changes and see some of the ridiculous situations it has lead to, of goalkeepers running away from passes, of defenders bouncing along halfway lines with frustration as a attacker a few feet in front of him jogs around in easy possession, of forwards sprinting towards a ball and then stopping to wait until it reaches them.

[trileacman]

This is essentially the type of game I'd like to see football move towards again, kick-passing, man-marking, forward movement, less recycling of possession backwards.

At the time this wasn't even considered a great match or contested by 2 brilliant teams. But if a game like this was played today I think people would be raving about it.

[Saffron_sam20]

This is essentially the type of game I'd like to see football move towards again, kick-passing, man-marking, forward movement, less recycling of possession backwards.

At the time this wasn't even considered a great match or contested by 2 brilliant teams. But if a game like this was played today I think people would be raving about it.

Those were the days.

[EoinW]

Epic weekend-brilliant Ulster and Leinster finals and All Ireland U20 semi-final. Rule committee should get All Stars at the end of the season ✨️

My apologizes to the FRC.  I've been critical, however it was a glorious weekend of football.  I think they've been vindicated.  Gaelic football is now as entertaining as hurling.

I still don't like the 2 pointer but I suspect I'll have to live with it.  It's like Babe Ruth hitting 50 home runs in 1920.  Like 2 pointers from 45 metres, fans loved his mighty swats...thus ended the dead ball era.

However could we lose the 2 point frees?  The deciding 2 pointer in Sunday's game was a judgement call.  We shouldn't be awarding 2 point opportunities on referee decisions.  It's a no win situation for referees.  I'm sure Meath fans were rather unhappy with the call.

Nice to see goals still matter.  Armagh lost because they couldn't find the net(very unlucky on one) and the Kerry U20s would have had a great chance had they taken their goals.

I am not saying you are wrong but am genuinely interested how in your opinion the new rules contributed to that?  We had in my opinion a much better Ulster final in each of the last two years and the Leinster final was good because we had two well matched teams involved for the first time in over a decade.  I get the sense there is a real confirmation bias going on with these rules. 

Excellent question!  Not sure I can give a very good answer.

Like you, I had no problem with the 2024 version.  The scoring was in the teens and I enjoyed what I was seeing.  Clearly many fans here had a big problem with it.  They've told us so.

My impression is that the pace is up in all games and there's lots of end to end action.  It's more chaotic, which makes it more unpredictable.  Obviously scoring is up because the rule changes have all favoured offence and handicapped defence.  Too much?  Probably, however time will tell.

Confirmation bias?  You may be onto something.

I've written some harsh criticism about the FRC and GAA.  I do not like being so cynical.  I also want to be openminded.  I suppose the new game is here to stay and I'd rather enjoy it than lament what has been lost.

[thewobbler]

Confirmation bias can't be entirely ruled out.

But here's the thing. Everywhere I go now, everyone I talk to, is both reflecting positively on previous game and looking forward to the following weekend.

And I don't just mean at county level. We are now looking forward to club games in Down. Honestly, nobody enjoyed enjoyed club football in our county the past decade. It was a ritual we went through, on a par with decks of the rosary or the stations of the cross. Nobody enjoyed it, they put up with it.

The occasionals, the regulars and the die hards are all coming to the same conclusion.

That's got to require a lot more than the want that delivers confirmation bias.

I'm sure coaches will find a way to f**k the game over again before too long. But I took control of  my naturally cynical disposition after week 2 or 3 of the national league, when I realised I was ranting enjoyment at televised games that previously I would have ignored or fallen asleep to. Never thought that would happen again.

[David McKeown]

Confirmation bias can't be entirely ruled out.

But here's the thing. Everywhere I go now, everyone I talk to, is both reflecting positively on previous game and looking forward to the following weekend.

And I don't just mean at county level. We are now looking forward to club games in Down. Honestly, nobody enjoyed enjoyed club football in our county the past decade. It was a ritual we went through, on a par with decks of the rosary or the stations of the cross. Nobody enjoyed it, they put up with it.

The occasionals, the regulars and the die hards are all coming to the same conclusion.

That's got to require a lot more than the want that delivers confirmation bias.

I'm sure coaches will find a way to f**k the game over again before too long. But I took control of  my naturally cynical disposition after week 2 or 3 of the national league, when I realised I was ranting enjoyment at televised games that previously I would have ignored or fallen asleep to. Never thought that would happen again.

Interesting your experience talking to people is different to mine. Nothing wrong with that of course. Strangely I wonder if it's a county bias thing. Obviously as an Armagh man 2024 will live in history for me. I've lost track of how many times I've watched the games from last season and to me this year is no better. I wonder if that's because I liked Armaghs style of play last year. I wonder to what degree that factors into the opinions of I talk to as well. Obviously most I talk to will be Armagh fans as well.

Unfortunately I live 90 mins from my club now (wife's choice) so I've only been to a handful of games but my views on the game at club are largely the same.

[onefineday]

Epic weekend-brilliant Ulster and Leinster finals and All Ireland U20 semi-final. Rule committee should get All Stars at the end of the season ✨️

My apologizes to the FRC.  I've been critical, however it was a glorious weekend of football.  I think they've been vindicated.  Gaelic football is now as entertaining as hurling.

I still don't like the 2 pointer but I suspect I'll have to live with it.  It's like Babe Ruth hitting 50 home runs in 1920.  Like 2 pointers from 45 metres, fans loved his mighty swats...thus ended the dead ball era.

However could we lose the 2 point frees?  The deciding 2 pointer in Sunday's game was a judgement call.  We shouldn't be awarding 2 point opportunities on referee decisions.  It's a no win situation for referees.  I'm sure Meath fans were rather unhappy with the call.

Nice to see goals still matter.  Armagh lost because they couldn't find the net(very unlucky on one) and the Kerry U20s would have had a great chance had they taken their goals.

I am not saying you are wrong but am genuinely interested how in your opinion the new rules contributed to that?  We had in my opinion a much better Ulster final in each of the last two years and the Leinster final was good because we had two well matched teams involved for the first time in over a decade.  I get the sense there is a real confirmation bias going on with these rules. 

I think the kickout rule has largely removed/significantly reduced the ability to close the game out. Last year, if Donegal had lead by 7, it would have been game over, this year, that happened twice, yet Armagh didn't panic and methodically clawed back the deficit.
There's also little doubt in my mind that the removal of the keeper as a passing option has been a huge positive which contributes hugely to this reduced ability to control possession for long periods and close games out.

[onefineday]

I think there are far too many rule changes and by nature they are too hard to police as you go down into club and underage games. I was in favour of simple, easily policed changes that would negate the possession based structure and increase contests between players. Some of the rule changes result from how brainlessly dogmatic most referees are. I mean the tap and go is so brilliant because so many refs wouldn't play an advantage and loved to prevent quick frees by making attacking teams take frees from the exact point of the foul or saying it hasn't travelled 13m. I literally witnessed hundreds of incidents where the defending teams cynical play was rewarded because the ref deliberately slowed down the attacking teams restart, allowing the defenders to all get behind the ball and pick up a marker.

I'd allow the tap and go free and get rid of all the rest in favour of one simple rule change.

A team inside their own 45 can't fist pass the ball. To make a fist pass you must be outside your own 45.

This would encourage several positive tactics and return towards the kicking style of football played before 2011-2012 where possession periods were shorter and contests for possession was the main facet of the game.

1. Encourages keepers to kick beyond the 45. Increasing contested kick outs and disincentivising short kick outs. No need for the 45m arc for kick outs.

2. Encourage teams to kick the ball longer and put 50/50 balls into their forwards, knowing that even if the ball is lost to a defending team the odds of recovering possession are a lot higher than at present.

3. Encourage teams to press up the pitch with forwards and leave forwards in the attacking 45. This achieves the same outcome as the 3v3 rule. It rebalances the placement of players on the pitch, essentially you need players along all lines of the pitch to contests for possession of the ball that's there. A return of sorts to the 6-2-6 formation that defined football.

4. Punish teams who want to run down the clock or hold possession to kill another team's momentum. Donegal and Louth both spent the last minutes of their wins running away from the goals, holding possession in the middle 3rd, where there is the least danger that they will lose the ball and the least danger that a turnover will lead to a guaranteed score. 3-5 minutes of keep ball is no-ones idea of an exciting end to a game.

If in practice this was excessively punitive on defenders it could be tweaked to allow handpasses inside the 21m line or the defender who wins back possession is allowed one hand pass to set up the kick-pass out of defence.

The issue with the rule changes is that whilst they've inflated scores the basic structure of games is unchanged. Defending teams are still rewarded with putting as many men as possible inside their own 40 arc and attackers are rewarded with keeping possession and making no-risk passes to each other until an spare man or tired defender is found and a point opportunity appears. Anyone who thinks this is insane or unworkable should take a look at the current rule changes and see some of the ridiculous situations it has lead to, of goalkeepers running away from passes, of defenders bouncing along halfway lines with frustration as a attacker a few feet in front of him jogs around in easy possession, of forwards sprinting towards a ball and then stopping to wait until it reaches them.

Interesting idea

[Truthsayer]

I think there are far too many rule changes and by nature they are too hard to police as you go down into club and underage games. I was in favour of simple, easily policed changes that would negate the possession based structure and increase contests between players. Some of the rule changes result from how brainlessly dogmatic most referees are. I mean the tap and go is so brilliant because so many refs wouldn't play an advantage and loved to prevent quick frees by making attacking teams take frees from the exact point of the foul or saying it hasn't travelled 13m. I literally witnessed hundreds of incidents where the defending teams cynical play was rewarded because the ref deliberately slowed down the attacking teams restart, allowing the defenders to all get behind the ball and pick up a marker.

I'd allow the tap and go free and get rid of all the rest in favour of one simple rule change.

A team inside their own 45 can't fist pass the ball. To make a fist pass you must be outside your own 45.

This would encourage several positive tactics and return towards the kicking style of football played before 2011-2012 where possession periods were shorter and contests for possession was the main facet of the game.

1. Encourages keepers to kick beyond the 45. Increasing contested kick outs and disincentivising short kick outs. No need for the 45m arc for kick outs.

2. Encourage teams to kick the ball longer and put 50/50 balls into their forwards, knowing that even if the ball is lost to a defending team the odds of recovering possession are a lot higher than at present.

3. Encourage teams to press up the pitch with forwards and leave forwards in the attacking 45. This achieves the same outcome as the 3v3 rule. It rebalances the placement of players on the pitch, essentially you need players along all lines of the pitch to contests for possession of the ball that's there. A return of sorts to the 6-2-6 formation that defined football.

4. Punish teams who want to run down the clock or hold possession to kill another team's momentum. Donegal and Louth both spent the last minutes of their wins running away from the goals, holding possession in the middle 3rd, where there is the least danger that they will lose the ball and the least danger that a turnover will lead to a guaranteed score. 3-5 minutes of keep ball is no-ones idea of an exciting end to a game.

If in practice this was excessively punitive on defenders it could be tweaked to allow handpasses inside the 21m line or the defender who wins back possession is allowed one hand pass to set up the kick-pass out of defence.

The issue with the rule changes is that whilst they've inflated scores the basic structure of games is unchanged. Defending teams are still rewarded with putting as many men as possible inside their own 40 arc and attackers are rewarded with keeping possession and making no-risk passes to each other until an spare man or tired defender is found and a point opportunity appears. Anyone who thinks this is insane or unworkable should take a look at the current rule changes and see some of the ridiculous situations it has lead to, of goalkeepers running away from passes, of defenders bouncing along halfway lines with frustration as a attacker a few feet in front of him jogs around in easy possession, of forwards sprinting towards a ball and then stopping to wait until it reaches them.

Interesting idea

       after the weekend we've had the most negative loada nonsense 🙄

[David McKeown]

Epic weekend-brilliant Ulster and Leinster finals and All Ireland U20 semi-final. Rule committee should get All Stars at the end of the season ✨️

My apologizes to the FRC.  I've been critical, however it was a glorious weekend of football.  I think they've been vindicated.  Gaelic football is now as entertaining as hurling.

I still don't like the 2 pointer but I suspect I'll have to live with it.  It's like Babe Ruth hitting 50 home runs in 1920.  Like 2 pointers from 45 metres, fans loved his mighty swats...thus ended the dead ball era.

However could we lose the 2 point frees?  The deciding 2 pointer in Sunday's game was a judgement call.  We shouldn't be awarding 2 point opportunities on referee decisions.  It's a no win situation for referees.  I'm sure Meath fans were rather unhappy with the call.

Nice to see goals still matter.  Armagh lost because they couldn't find the net(very unlucky on one) and the Kerry U20s would have had a great chance had they taken their goals.

I am not saying you are wrong but am genuinely interested how in your opinion the new rules contributed to that?  We had in my opinion a much better Ulster final in each of the last two years and the Leinster final was good because we had two well matched teams involved for the first time in over a decade.  I get the sense there is a real confirmation bias going on with these rules. 

I think the kickout rule has largely removed/significantly reduced the ability to close the game out. Last year, if Donegal had lead by 7, it would have been game over, this year, that happened twice, yet Armagh didn't panic and methodically clawed back the deficit.
There's also little doubt in my mind that the removal of the keeper as a passing option has been a huge positive which contributes hugely to this reduced ability to control possession for long periods and close games out.

Ahh ok thanks. There may be something in that. I've only seen the kickout rule as punishing on the team taking the kick out and reducing the fairness of matches.

I disagree on the goal keeper rule. I find it artificial and actual encourages a slow build up as teams lack the spare man to burst through after a deep defensive turn over

[Mad Mentor]

If nothing else the 50m penalty that has cut out all the sh1te at every free has been a great development. Along with the solo and go the game seems to be a bit more free-flowing.

[twohands!!!]

If nothing else the 50m penalty that has cut out all the sh1te at every free has been a great development. Along with the solo and go the game seems to be a bit more free-flowing.

It's really noticeable the difference between hurling and football at the moment in terms of stupid nonsense.

There's so much of it still in hurling and it has pretty much completely disappeared from football.

I'd imagine it will be only a matter of time before a similar rule is brought in for hurling.

The big lesson for me is that if you want to stamp out behaviour "harsh/decent" punishments are the way to go.

If you have "soft/weak" punishments it just means that teams will say it is worthwhile to break the rules and
will continue to do so.

Punish those who cheat and break the rules and protect and reward those who play the game in a fair and clean manner.

[marty34]

I thought there'd be a lot more direct long ball into the full forwards but it just seems to be more of the same re: don't give possession away, carry ball up and look for space in and around the D for the 1 pt.  If not, re-cycle and if chance, take the 2 pointer.