REFEREES are used to finding themselves stuck in the middle of the madness – but Waterford boss Paul Shankey feels the proposed new rules could see a seamless transition if implemented next year.
The Football Review Committee - headed up by former Dublin boss Jim Gavin - has devised over 50 different ‘rules enhancements’ for Gaelic football, with seven ‘core’ proposals at the heart of those plans to improve the game.
These include keeping three attackers beyond the halfway line at all times, the solo-and-go restart, a restriction on passing back to the goalkeeper, and the new two and four-point scoring system.
After a series of behind-closed-doors ‘sandbox’ games in recent months, those proposed new rules will be trialled live, and broadcast on RTÉ, at an inter-provincial series in Croke Park this weekend.
And while all eyes will be on the players and how those rules are interpreted, it will be up to referees to enforce them.
Shankey is an experienced figure on the inter-county scene, having been part of Sean Boylan’s Meath panel in the 1990s, and is now looking into his second year in charge of the Deise.
And Shankey, who is part of John Cleary’s Munster management team for the upcoming interpros, doesn’t expect too many teething problems for referees should any of the proposals make it through next month’s Special Congress.
“I don’t,” he said, “I think there is a lot of noise about it being complicated.
“Maybe at club level, but I think players will embrace it and referees seem to be embracing it. It’s quite straightforward. It depends on the number of rules that get through from Congress, but I think they’re pretty simple.
“When Jim [Gavin] explains them in their seven points, they’re pretty straightforward and not that difficult to referee in my estimation. It’s ‘keeper kicks out it beyond the 40, it’s a contest, it’s kicked in, it’s a [two-point] score outside the arc, there’s the advantage mark, a ball up between two people, the tap and solo…
“[Addressing] the cynical side of it and lads getting held up, that’s quite good as well. It’s just trying to bring it to more contests, being more fast, more aggressive.”
From his experience on both sides of the line, Shankey can see why there is a need to freshen up the game to encourage more risk-taking, more excitement.
And he doesn’t feel the proposed rule enhancements run the risk of going too far and making the game unrecognisable.
“Like, people like to be negative. The world now, ‘oh that’s not good enough, that’s not good enough’ - Gaelic football is a great game.
“You know, there were lots of bad games in my time as well. There’s lots of bad games in every period of time. It’s just that it’s gone very structured and has lost that kind of element of risk maybe, the element of teams going for it.
“Coaches and managers and players are playing what’s in front of them, trying to enhance their chances of being competitive. So I can’t blame anyone for that, but it does need a couple of tweaks just to make it more exciting, bring back the inside forward.
“Everyone’s been involved [in the process] - all the managers, players, referees, supporters to feedback from thousands of people, so that’s brilliant engagement, and they’ve had sandbox games.
“It’s been a brilliant process to be fair, everyone’s felt part of it, involved in it and continuously looking for feedback to enhance it further.
“All the rules are great and they’re all trying to make football a more exciting spectacle.”
