Gaelic Football - Rules & Regulations discussion/clarification

[JoG2]

There is no doubt that the new rules have addressed some of the negative tactics that had emerged but there are some downsides to these new rules that should not be ignored.

The arc and the 2-point scores are dictating the pattern of play in almost every game. It can be quite boring to watch the ball being passed over the back outside the arc. The direct attacking play of old offered much more variety with the spectacle of the one to one tussles between the forward and his marker.

Weather conditions enable the team with the wind in the first half build up a big lead. It is not unknown for the wind to abate so the other team does not have the same advantage in the second half.

Given the basketball-like nature of the up and down the field pattern under the new rules then maybe they should go the whole hog and introduce a shot clock 

The more I think about it , and  The more I see how the  game is evolving , the 2 pointer is all backwards.  It should be 1 point for outside  the arc and 2 points for inside . It would encourage  more play near the goals, rather than pissing about  50 yards away

Although I'd prefer the  arc was  scrapped altogether

A 10 yard fisted 2 pointer would be worth the admission fee alone

[Armagh18]

You learn something every day.

I was talking to a referee and he was giving out about the ignorance of Ben O'Connor questioning why Liam Gordon who refereed the Tipp v Cork game didn't add on the time for the melee at the end of the first half.

Turns out a referee isn't meant to add on time for a melee and it isn't in the rulebook to do so.

Surely common sense would meant they do though?

[Cunny Funt]

A question on the 2 pointers.  Am I the only one who thinks 3v3 violations being punished by 2 pts to be too extreme?  If a team violates with TWO players should the opposition be awarded a penalty?

Also, couldn't they have compromised on the 2 pt idea by abolishing the 2 pt frees?  It's only a matter of time before every team has a Sean O'Se and 2 point frees begin to look as routine as a conversion in American football.

Strangly not even discussed at HQ.

For me, the two point free is an abomination, truly a blight on the game.  There's little more unappealing than seeing a keeper trundling up and taking well over the allowed time to slot over another 50m free.
I have heard the arguments for its retention, namely that cynical defenders will foul every time outside the two point arc, but to my mind that can be easily dealt with by referees using existing rules.  The maths of it doesn't make sense in any case, apparently the most straightforward 2 point shot (top of the D) is about 65% successful with no pressure, but this reduces to just 30% when pressurised.  From a free it's somewhere around 80%, therefore mathematically (and we know coaches love their maths), the expected value of a 1 point free kick at 0.8pts is still greater than the expected value of a pressurised 2 point attempt at 0.6pts, so not only will the cynical defender run the risk of picking up a card, but the player will also provide a higher value scoring opportunity, even with frees being reduced to 1 point.

The other aspect of 2-pointers which is becoming apparent is the impact they have on the goal, yes, it seems as though more goals are being scored (haven't checked), but there's definitely a reduction in excitement as the spectators understand that the importance of a goal has been hugely undermined by the addition of the much more obtainable 2-pointer.  The obvious answer is to increase the value of the goal to 4 points, which it was originally supposed to be, before some in GAA officialdom showed their mathematical prowess by insisting that this would lead to one-sided games with huge margins of victory.

Probably also time to comment on the new hooter system - seemingly the brainchild of Eamonn Fitzmaurice (is there a more nauseating commentator??) who believes it allows for exact time-keeping - he seems to have forgotten that the starting and stopping of the clock is relatively arbitrary and dependent on the referee.  It completely lends itself to cynical play as we saw for the last few minutes of Derry v Meath, where Meath (understandably) fouled Derry players repeatedly out the field in order to run down the minutes.  Armagh v Galway saw a free awarded with 30 secs left be taken after the hooter to win the game.  We had the Kerry winner v Roscommon where the on-field decision was questionable. I'm sure there are many similar instances which could illustrate the problems this new version of the hooter has brought in.  Whilst I was in favour of the old hooter system which was a good solution and provided certainty to players, I would be happy to revert to leaving it in the referee's hands which as we saw in the club championships was adequate.

So all in all, I'm largely in favour of the new rules, they've massively improved the game, but we need to seriously look at increasing the value of the goal, get rid of the hooter and get rid of the 2 point free.  Easy eh??

With the pre-season competitions back this January it's a pity those games weren't used as a trial to see how they'd go without two pointers frees.  The club championship season just gone did just fine without the use of a hooter why the same couldn't be done with the 2026 inter county season I don't know, and the system costs a lot of money that should be used on something more useful


It appears every thing is locked in place now for a few years, did I hear 5 years? not sure was that very wise as HQ now move onto their effort of pushing the All-Ireland final back to August and scrapping pre season competitions again

[johnnycool]

You learn something every day.

I was talking to a referee and he was giving out about the ignorance of Ben O'Connor questioning why Liam Gordon who refereed the Tipp v Cork game didn't add on the time for the melee at the end of the first half.

Turns out a referee isn't meant to add on time for a melee and it isn't in the rulebook to do so.

Surely common sense would meant they do though?

The way this referee worded it, he thinks because the delay "is on the players" that the rule as it stands is right.

I can see both sides of it.

Winning by a few points and hanging on for dear life, start a melee and that'll kill the game off.

[The Boy Wonder]

Why should a wind-assisted score from just outside the arc be worth double that of a score from just inside that arc that was not wind-assisted ?

The arc and the 2-pointers have distorted games.

Cavan scored a disputed 2-pointer against Offaly today taking them from a point behind to a point in the lead.
Whether or not it was a genuine score as opposed to a wide is immaterial. What is very pertinent is that a team's fortunes (promotion/relegation) can be decided by an unmarked player popping over a wind-assisted point from distance.

Too many one-sided halves of football - get rid of the arc and the 2-pointers.

[Rossfan]

Yaawwnn

[Milltown Row2]

Why should a wind-assisted score from just outside the arc be worth double that of a score from just inside that arc that was not wind-assisted ?

The arc and the 2-pointers have distorted games.

Cavan scored a disputed 2-pointer against Offaly today taking them from a point behind to a point in the lead.
Whether or not it was a genuine score as opposed to a wide is immaterial. What is very pertinent is that a team's fortunes (promotion/relegation) can be decided by an unmarked player popping over a wind-assisted point from distance.

Too many one-sided halves of football - get rid of the arc and the 2-pointers.

Both teams have the wind at some point, so its a level playing field, the unmarked player is the fault of the player who was meant to mark him..

The Rossies showed yesterday that playing into the wind (and what a wind that was) didn't matter, its how your team approaches the game

[Truthsayer]

Why should a wind-assisted score from just outside the arc be worth double that of a score from just inside that arc that was not wind-assisted ?

The arc and the 2-pointers have distorted games.

Cavan scored a disputed 2-pointer against Offaly today taking them from a point behind to a point in the lead.
Whether or not it was a genuine score as opposed to a wide is immaterial. What is very pertinent is that a team's fortunes (promotion/relegation) can be decided by an unmarked player popping over a wind-assisted point from distance.

Too many one-sided halves of football - get rid of the arc and the 2-pointers.

As opposed to a player scoring a wind assisted one pointer to win a game? Watutalkinboutwillis?

[blanketattack]

Why should a wind-assisted score from just outside the arc be worth double that of a score from just inside that arc that was not wind-assisted ?

The arc and the 2-pointers have distorted games.

Cavan scored a disputed 2-pointer against Offaly today taking them from a point behind to a point in the lead.
Whether or not it was a genuine score as opposed to a wide is immaterial. What is very pertinent is that a team's fortunes (promotion/relegation) can be decided by an unmarked player popping over a wind-assisted point from distance.

Too many one-sided halves of football - get rid of the arc and the 2-pointers.

As opposed to a player scoring a wind assisted one pointer to win a game? Watutalkinboutwillis?

Yeah and a wind assisted goal should only be worth 2 points while a goal against the wind be worth 4 points

[blanketattack]

Why can you not go backwards on a solo and go. Surely there are times when that would be advantageous to not have to try and go through a couple of groups of players or to make a better angle for a pass.

It was to promote forward play, the minute you encourage players to take the safe route they'll take it, possession is key, and that's why we've had the changes. to come away from the safe option and provide excitement

Summed up nicely.

The new rules were devise largely to restore the balance of territory vs possession. Any rule change that promotes possession would fly in the face of what's trying to be achieved.

Also, couldn't they have compromised on the 2 pt idea by abolishing the 2 pt frees?  It's only a matter of time before every team has a Sean O'Se and 2 point frees begin to look as routine as a conversion in American football.

Abolishing 2 point frees makes no sense. Otherwise when someone is lining up a 2 pointer attempt from play you can just foul them knowing the punishment is only a one point free attempt from 40m+.
If you have 2 pointers from play you have to have 2 pointer frees.

The statistians would make the decision easy.
Expected points against if you let them attempt the 2 pointer: 1.2*
Expected points against if you foul them: 0.78*
(wild estimates but safe to say the first figure would be significantly bigger than the second)

[Truthsayer]

Why should a wind-assisted score from just outside the arc be worth double that of a score from just inside that arc that was not wind-assisted ?

The arc and the 2-pointers have distorted games.

Cavan scored a disputed 2-pointer against Offaly today taking them from a point behind to a point in the lead.
Whether or not it was a genuine score as opposed to a wide is immaterial. What is very pertinent is that a team's fortunes (promotion/relegation) can be decided by an unmarked player popping over a wind-assisted point from distance.

Too many one-sided halves of football - get rid of the arc and the 2-pointers.

As opposed to a player scoring a wind assisted one pointer to win a game? Watutalkinboutwillis?

Yeah and a wind assisted goal should only be worth 2 points while a goal against the wind be worth 4 points

Wtf!      maybe should measure the strength of the wind and have different points grades according to how strong it is 🤷

[David McKeown]

I think the point (no pun intended) that's being made by those opposed to the two pointers is more that the elements can now have a bigger impact on the game than they used to which I don't think benefits the game.

The two pointer devalues the value of both a goal and a point.

That said it's here to stay so may as well get on with it

[Truthsayer]

I think the point (no pun intended) that's being made by those opposed to the two pointers is more that the elements can now have a bigger impact on the game than they used to which I don't think benefits the game.

The two pointer devalues the value of both a goal and a point.

That said it's here to stay so may as well get on with it

I'm def for it. Maybe a goal shud be put to 4 points encourage teams to go for goals as well... but overall it's been a great improvement imo...

[Milltown Row2]

I think the point (no pun intended) that's being made by those opposed to the two pointers is more that the elements can now have a bigger impact on the game than they used to which I don't think benefits the game.

The two pointer devalues the value of both a goal and a point.

That said it's here to stay so may as well get on with it

You are aware the wind affects both sides equally?

[The Boy Wonder]

I think the point (no pun intended) that's being made by those opposed to the two pointers is more that the elements can now have a bigger impact on the game than they used to which I don't think benefits the game.

The two pointer devalues the value of both a goal and a point.

That said it's here to stay so may as well get on with it

You are aware the wind affects both sides equally?

Weather conditions often change during games. You can see squally showers followed by bright sunshine and the wind abating. It's very often a considerable psychological advantage to a team that builds up a substantial lead when aided by a strong wind in the first half.

Another unwritten rule that most teams apply with the new rules is basketball-style zonal marking rather than man to man marking. That's why we see so much back and forth probing outside the arc that eventually creates an opening for a 2-point attempt.

I'm not a naysayer regarding the new rules - I just think that the arc and the 2-pointer have changed attacking play much too radically and there is far too much fannying about and hold-up play around the arc.