Strange rules in the GAA - past or present

[brokencrossbar1]

Not so much a strange rule but it is something you don't see now in games, a player fisting the ball over the opponents head, running round him and collecting it on the bounce.  It happened mostly in underage games but when we were younger it was all the rage.  Now, originally players caught it on the full but refs got wise to that as it is a foul to do that but by letting it bounce then there is an intervening 'action' which makes the ball 'live' again.  Real opportunity for the defending player to cut a man in 2 though

[Bingo]

Not so much a strange rule but it is something you don't see now in games, a player fisting the ball over the opponents head, running round him and collecting it on the bounce.  It happened mostly in underage games but when we were younger it was all the rage.  Now, originally players caught it on the full but refs got wise to that as it is a foul to do that but by letting it bounce then there is an intervening 'action' which makes the ball 'live' again.  Real opportunity for the defending player to cut a man in 2 though

Pip Duffy specialised it this for years, was brillant at it.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

I think the question here (much as it pains me as a Tyrone man) is - did Canavan have possession of the ball when he fell to the ground? Did he actually have the ball under control when he fell? I don't think he did therefore was not entitled to touch it on the ground. The bigger question to me was if the ball was actually on the ground. It would be hard for Canavan to get an upward movement on a ball that was on the ground. It was bouncing so the pass was valid - that's been my story for nearly 18 years and I'm sticking to it. [/quote]

I was sitting on the 21 in the Lower Hogan that day - and the ball was definitely bouncing 

[PAULD123]

"Chargin  Ref". Heard in every county in Ireland. Was there ever a rule about it?

You still see frees for charging in possession. I think it's covered by Rule 5.33b:

(b) To charge an opponent unless:-
(i) he is in possession of the ball, or
(ii) he is playing the ball, or
(iii) both players are moving in the direction of
the ball to play it.

If you're in possession of the ball and charge an opponent, none of these exceptions applies.

That's more or less it Hardy. The thing about charging is that it must be done side-on (i.e. shoulder charge). You can certainly charge side-on but any front on charge is not allowed. The Rule you refer to is 5.24:


It is an offence:

5.24 (a) To charge an opponent in the back or to the
front.
(b) To charge an opponent unless:-
(i) he is in possession of the ball, or
(ii) he is playing the ball, or
(iii) both players are moving in the direction of
the ball to play it.
(c) To charge an opponent for the purpose of
giving an advantage to a team-mate.

The last bit is new isn't it? It was put in in answer to the Donegal style "Third man" tackle. Basically if you drive into a defender who is facing you then you are charging and it is an offence and a free is given to the defender.

[ardchieftain]

Is "showing the ball" still penalised? I remember being blown for that in Cabragh in the early 80s.

Yeah seen it called a few times. Still laugh at club matches when all the oul boys shout "He's showing the ball ref" and all the young boys look around say "what the fcuk are them oul boys shouting about!" lol

What about picking the ball up when it is rolling; "ffs ref it was rolling."lol

I remember a coach in school always gave out about ' showing the ball. ' He is the only person i can ever remember giving a free for it though.

Which brings me to another point. My young lad has fallen in love with a trick he thinks he has invented where he pretends to fist pass the ball then pulls it back in. I've told him not to rely on it too heavily as i'm not sure if it's a foul or not. My thinking is that it is akin to showing the ball. Any of you lads able to shed any light on this?

[deiseach]

Gaelic footballs roots are from association football (Soccer). So Goals were what it was all about. A goal out weighed any amount of points. This was later diluted to 5 points (I Think!) for a goal and then down to three. If you look at very early clips of GAA. The game more resembles Soccer, with the hands used just to knock the ball to the ground so you could hoof it!

Thanks for the insight.

[Denn Forever]

Isn't it also charging if your feet aren't on the ground e.g. jumping through a tackle?

[BennyHarp]

Is "showing the ball" still penalised? I remember being blown for that in Cabragh in the early 80s.

Yeah seen it called a few times. Still laugh at club matches when all the oul boys shout "He's showing the ball ref" and all the young boys look around say "what the fcuk are them oul boys shouting about!" lol

What about picking the ball up when it is rolling; "ffs ref it was rolling."lol

I remember a coach in school always gave out about ' showing the ball. ' He is the only person i can ever remember giving a free for it though.

Which brings me to another point. My young lad has fallen in love with a trick he thinks he has invented where he pretends to fist pass the ball then pulls it back in. I've told him not to rely on it too heavily as i'm not sure if it's a foul or not. My thinking is that it is akin to showing the ball. Any of you lads able to shed any light on this?

My understanding would be that as long as the ball remains in one hand and isn't transferred (thrown) to the other then it's ok. I think the old "show" ball was moving the ball between hands ie, throwing from one to the other which isn't allowed. People used to shout for it though even if you just held the ball out in one hand.

[Eamonnca1]

I've seen refs blowing up American lads (with a basketball background) for the following:

• Moving the ball from one hand to the other behind their backs - not illegal, no different from moving it from one hand to the other in front of him as long as the ball remains in contact with one or both hands at all times.
• Bouncing the ball behind their backs or between their legs - not illegal, no different from bouncing it in front.
  

I wish the referee training would deal with these basketball-esque situations because these are great moves to watch when you see them applied to Gaelic football.

The controlling bounce is interesting when you see how American boys apply it. If they're in a tight spot and taking possession they'll sometimes get low to the ground and do a series of short and gentle controlling bounces while moving out of harm's way before making an actual catch. Throws Irish players off every time.

[theticklemister]

I've seen refs blowing up American lads (with a basketball background) for the following:

• Moving the ball from one hand to the other behind their backs - not illegal, no different from moving it from one hand to the other in front of him as long as the ball remains in contact with one or both hands at all times.
• Bouncing the ball behind their backs or between their legs - not illegal, no different from bouncing it in front.
  

I wish the referee training would deal with these basketball-esque situations because these are great moves to watch when you see them applied to Gaelic football.

The controlling bounce is interesting when you see how American boys apply it. If they're in a tight spot and taking possession they'll sometimes get low to the ground and do a series of short and gentle controlling bounces while moving out of harm's way before making an actual catch. Throws Irish players off every time.

I perfected the short toe tap when I was at school where I lifted my foot so high to my body an tapped the ball back into my chest with the side of the foot. I had to stand still when doing it but and it didnt take me past any defenders and I ddnt make the school team around that time so overall it was a pile of shit. It brought some laughs though.

[DJGaliv]

Gaelic footballs roots are from association football (Soccer). So Goals were what it was all about. A goal out weighed any amount of points. This was later diluted to 5 points (I Think!) for a goal and then down to three. If you look at very early clips of GAA. The game more resembles Soccer, with the hands used just to knock the ball to the ground so you could hoof it!

Thanks for the insight.

I can imagine Sunday Game in 1920, Dennis Corbett of Limericks pure ground football 1888 All Ireland winning team, giving out about all this puke inducing catching of the ball and putting it over the bar in this years 1920 Ulster Final.

The evolution of gaelic football, complaints following complaints.

[supersarsfields]

Is "showing the ball" still penalised? I remember being blown for that in Cabragh in the early 80s.

Yeah seen it called a few times. Still laugh at club matches when all the oul boys shout "He's showing the ball ref" and all the young boys look around say "what the fcuk are them oul boys shouting about!" lol

What about picking the ball up when it is rolling; "ffs ref it was rolling."lol

I remember a coach in school always gave out about ' showing the ball. ' He is the only person i can ever remember giving a free for it though.

Which brings me to another point. My young lad has fallen in love with a trick he thinks he has invented where he pretends to fist pass the ball then pulls it back in. I've told him not to rely on it too heavily as i'm not sure if it's a foul or not. My thinking is that it is akin to showing the ball. Any of you lads able to shed any light on this?

No issue with faking the hand pass, but I don't think your boy invented it......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyeE9Xtksbc

(Any excuse to see it again!!)

[brokencrossbar1]

The fake hand-pass is the best way of dummying the opposition.  Showing the ball is an odd one and certainly on that I think has drifted out of the game.  As regards the basketball style behind the back stuff and through the legs that eamonnca1 talks of the movement of the ball from one hand to another should actually be allowed under the rules.

1.4 When a player is in possession of the ball, it
may be:-
(a) carried for a maximum of four consecutive
steps or held in the hand(s) for no longer
than the time needed to take four steps;
(b) played from the foot to the hand(s) -toetapped;
(c) bounced once, and once after each toetap;
(d) changed from one hand to the other once,
with the original holding hand maintaining
contact until the change is completed;

There is no mention of where the ball must be bounced and the only issue about putting it behind your back is if the ref deems that both hands were not on the ball at the time. 

[fearglasmor]

Maybe only imagining it but is/was the "showing" rule that you can transfer the ball from one hand to the other legally but if you transfer it back again that's a foul.
There was a bit of a fuss about a brilliant goal scored by eoin mulligan for tyrone a few years ago.

Not a rule, but the bishop throwing in the ball at the start was strange, but maybe not in them days.

More a custom than a rule but nameing and placing the team in advance at club level. Way back when I was first making me way onto the senior team the selectors used to meet after training on Thursday night to pick the team for sunday. They wrote it up in position and put it up in the newsagent on the square in the centre of the town. Used to love checking the window going to and from school on Friday to see if I was named. The rugby and soccer clubs did the same and put them up in the same shop window so you would meet all the lads fri or sat down checking the teamsheets.

[5 Sams]

Maybe only imagining it but is/was the "showing" rule that you can transfer the ball from one hand to the other legally but if you transfer it back again that's a foul.
There was a bit of a fuss about a brilliant goal scored by eoin mulligan for tyrone a few years ago.

Not a rule, but the bishop throwing in the ball at the start was strange, but maybe not in them days.

More a custom than a rule but nameing and placing the team in advance at club level. Way back when I was first making me way onto the senior team the selectors used to meet after training on Thursday night to pick the team for sunday. They wrote it up in position and put it up in the newsagent on the square in the centre of the town. Used to love checking the window going to and from school on Friday to see if I was named. The rugby and soccer clubs did the same and put them up in the same shop window so you would meet all the lads fri or sat down checking the teamsheets.

Even stranger was the lads kissing the bishops ring before the throw in!! 

Imagine asking some of the lads today to get down on one knee.