IT felt like a fresh start for the game.
The landslide success of the Football Review Committee (FRC) reforms could be a return to playing and enjoying Gaelic Football as opposed to coming up with a method, never mind how negative or dull, of beating the opposition which has become the way.
More kicking, high fielding and long-range shooting, less sideways passing and negativity, the end of the loud-mouth…
All-in-all, the hope is that we’re going to get our game back and it will be more enjoyable to play and more exciting to watch.
Gaelic Football got the injection of positivity many feel it desperately needed when the FRC’s raft of imaginative and strategic changes received an absolutely ringing endorsement at Saturday’s Special Congress at Croke Park.
There was little, sometimes no, debate as motion after motion - 18 in all ushering in 49 new rules in total – was voted in. Only three motions failed to get backing of over 90 per cent of the county delegates and none got lower than 73.7 (the hooter and time clock) in the hall.
GAA President Jarlath Burns, who’d appointed the FRC not long after taking office, said the support for the motions was a “resounding mandate for improvement for Gaelic Football”.
“At the beginning of the year, if you had looked at those rules changes without the work that was done it would have been very difficult to get them through,” added the former Armagh skipper.
“This is a demonstration that if you do your research, if you do your homework and create trust around your stakeholders you can achieve transformational change.”
Headed by articulate, eminently-capable former Dublin All-Ireland-winning manager Jim Gavin, the FRC conducted a forensic review of Gaelic Football’s rules and after consultation, extensive public surveys and ‘sandbox’ trial games came up with a list of proposals they hope will transform the game from back to front.
The FRC members – including Tyrone manager Malachy O’Rourke, Donegal’s Michael Murphy, former Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice and many other well known Gaels – went out to the country and met with county boards and club delegates to explain their proposals. Indeed, Gavin made the trip to meet Armagh club delegates last week and it paid off.
“Those boys were all round the country and, as a result of that, county by county was coming back saying: ‘We’re going to go with them’,” added Burns.
“I want to thank them and the work starts next year.”
Before voting began, Gavin was hopeful that the finishing touch of Congress was all that was required to make the FRC concept a reality.
“We just need somebody to put the ball in the net now,” he said with a slightly nervous smile but he needn’t have worried because his committee’s proposals got an absolutely ringing endorsement.
“It’s a milestone event to get these motions passed through” said the Round Towers clubman after the voting.
“The ambition of the Association is that Gaelic Games – and in this instance Gaelic Football – becomes the most exciting amateur game in the world to play and watch and that (endorsement) speaks to that vision.
“We’re not there yet and in some ways the work only starts now. It all hits the road when we get the rules out to inter-county competitions and I’m really pleased that the club players (96 per cent of our membership) are going to get the opportunity to play this exciting brand of Gaelic Football.”
There had been debate over whether the new rules which come into effect from the beginning of next season but they will come in across the board including club level and the rules can be “tweaked” should the need arise.
“We’ll respond to what we see very quickly,” said Gavin.
“It won’t be our decision (to change the rules) though. We’ll have to report to the standing committee on playing rules who report to the rules advisory committee. We might make a recommendation but it’s their decision to make a proposal to Coiste Bainisti who may then make a recommendation to Central Council.”
“We’ll be at the coalface of it and if we see something we’ll respond to it and then we can push it up. We can adapt to it very quickly, it’s whether Central Council want to make changes to rules in competition.
The Special Congress Motions
Motion One: Enabling motion to allow the new rules to be changed next season
Passed with 93.1 per cent support
Motion Two: One-v-one at throw-in
This will mean that one player from each team contests the throw-in at the start of each half as opposed to two. Designed to cut out needless jostling and fouling.
Passed with 91.7 per cent support
Motion Three: The Black card
To prevent or restrict - or attempt to attempt or restrict - an opponent from moving or from playing the ball by holding up an opponent.
Passed with 94.4 per cent support
Motion Four: Delaying a free
Ball to be brought 50-metres up field for delaying a free-kick
This rule will penalise a player for trying to delay a free-kick with the referee bringing the ball 50m up the field.
“The penalty is so severe that players will reluctantly fall into line because, if they’re caught, they’re conceding a score,” says Jim Gavin.
Passed with 85 per cent support
Motion Five: Solo-and-go
If a player is fouled he, or a team-mate, has the option of immediately taking a toe-tap (solo-and-go) and playing on if he sees an advantage. Up to four-metres from where foul is committed. Player can’t go backwards with a solo-and-go.
Passed by 96.1 per cent of delegates
Motion Six: The 40-metre Arc
Shots over the bar from outside the 40-metre Arc will be worth two points, shots from inside one point. The concept is aimed at encouraging long range shooting and increasing shooting in general.
Passed: 90.8 per cent
Motion Seven: The advanced mark
The change will mean that a mark will be awarded automatically BUT the player who has caught the ball can play on THEN if no advantage accrues he can go back and take the mark.
Passed: 88 per cent support
Motion eight: 3-v-3 rule
Both sides have to have at least three players in each half at all times. However, if a team has a player sent off or black-carded they only need to have two up, so 3-v-3 becomes 2-v-2
Passed: 96.1 per cent
Motion Nine: Goalkeepers
This rule stipulates that you can’t pass ball back to goalkeeper inside your own half APART from inside the large rectangle. However, a player can pass it to the goalkeeper in the opposition half.
Intended to encourage players to play the ball forward.
Passed with 94.3 per cent support
Motion 10: Kickouts
Kickouts must go beyond 40 metres
Passed with 95.1 per cent support
Motion 11: Melees
If a player contributes to a melee now they should get a straight red card. Third or subsequent player engaged in the melee will get their marching orders UNLESS they’re solely in there to remove a teammate
Passed 97.4 per cent support
Motion 12: Advantage
If a player is fouled the referee may allow play to continue and signal so by raising their arm. If the referee deems a clear advantage has accrued the advantage ends and the referee will indicate that by saying “advantage over”. No advantage will mean a free-kick.
Passed with 92.4 per cent support
Motion 13: Abusing the referee (dissent)
If there is any dissent aimed at the referee the free-kick he has awarded will be moved 50m up the field (up to 13m line). Player taking free may opt to take it from outside 40m Arc.
At underage games, the offender can be sent to the Sin Bin for 10 minutes.
If team officials hurl abuse, the referee can award their opponents a 13m free
Passed 92.6 per cent
Motion 14: The captain
The only player who can seek clarity for a referee’s decision is the captain or nominated deputy (if captain is the goalie).
Players can still talk to the referee but this is designed to limit constant questioning of decisions.
Passed 86.1 per cent
Motion 15: New pitch markings
The 40m Arc, halfway line.
Passed with 95.9 per cent
Motion 16: A public clock and hooter
New timekeeping as used in LGFA - will be brought into Gaelic Football “where they are available”.
Passed with 73.7 per cent
Motion 17: Line Umpires (linesmen) to have more authority
Umpires can bring to attention of referee any instances of foul play, unauthorised incursions or other infractions by a team official.
Passed with 97.5 per cent support
Motion 18: Crossing a Line
A player is required to have both feet inside or outside a line as appropriate e.g. when using the 40m Arc both outside
Passed 95.9 per cent