Experimental rules

THE GAA yesterday confirmed it is introducing a new set of rule experiments in next spring's national football and hurling leagues.At
a meeting of Central Council yesterday, the proposed rule changes
brought forward by two special sub-committees were given the go-ahead
on a trial basis.Although the GAA said it will not be releasing
details of the changes until later in the week, the Sunday Independent
understands a significant alteration of the square-ball rule -- which
would allow players into the square ahead of the ball, once it has been
kicked -- and introducing a mark are two of the proposals in Gaelic
football which will be tried out.Taking all kick-outs from the
13-metre line to speed up play and moving the penalty spot closer to
the goal to aid the attacking team will also be part of the
experimental rules.The prospect of allowing players to cleanly
pick the ball off the ground rather than have to put their toe to it
was also mooted, although it's understood that the committee didn't run
with that idea in the end.Neither did they embrace the
possibility of allowing four points for a goal or awarding two points
for any kick that went over the bar from outside 45 yards, two other
propositions they considered. In hurling, revisiting the
awarding of two points for a successful sideline cut and looking at
measures to deal with the issue of increased high tackling in the game
did not make the cut.Instead, more technical matters such as
managers standing one metre from the sideline and insisting that all
'clash balls' be at 13 metres from the sideline will be introduced.Interestingly,
one proposed change will feature in both codes. If a game is entering
its closing seconds with teams level, referees will be instructed not
to blow the final whistle if one of the sides is attacking.The two sub-committees, chaired by Seamus Woods (football) and Simon MoroneyChristy Cooney, to explore possible improvements in both codes. The football committee featured big names like Oisin McConville, Anthony Rainbow, Liam Sammon and referees' chief Mick Curley. (hurling) held a number of meetings in recent months after being charged by GAA President, Depending
on the relative success of the rule changes in the early rounds of the
league, motions could be brought to Congress in Newcastle, Co Down.Central
Council also decided to bring motions to Congress calling for the
abolition of the junior and intermediate inter-county championships,
and the back door in the minor championships which allow beaten
provincial finalists back into the All-Ireland quarter-finals.A
motion on behalf of Central Council to formally recognise the GPA will
also be on the agenda in April, after it was overwhelmingly passed by
39 votes to 5."As has been the case to date at every level of
the Association, today's vote was accompanied by a healthy debate and
we will now proceed in the coming weeks and months to implement the
interim provisions outlined in the agreement," said Cooney.Meanwhile, a prominent county board secretary has called on the distribution of GAA grants to be taken out of the control of Croke Park officials and handed over to an outside independent body.Tipperary's Tim Floyd
will tell delegates at convention next week that he believes the GAA is
adding a growing number of conditions to the payment of grants to cash
strapped counties.And Floyd says the association should create
its own grant scheme to replace the Lottery-funded one which was
scrapped by the Government earlier this year."I believe the GAA
should create its own grant aid scheme from any future decisions to
rent out Croke Park," says Floyd in his annual report. "If and when we
are asked to vote on this we should only agree on the basis that the
rental income is ring fenced for GAA club capital projects. "I
also feel the scheme should be administered by an independent body
outside of Croke Park similar to Willis operating the insurance
schemes. Headquarters in recent times are adding a growing list of
conditions to the payment of any grants or central funding to cash
strapped counties. "The most obvious ones are the non payment
of central funding unless ticket bills are paid up to date and the
latest notice that infrastructural funding will not be paid out to
county boards who have not complied with issues highlighted in the
safety audit on county grounds."


- DAMIAN LAWLOR

Sunday Independent

by Jonathan Mullin.
RTÉ understands that there are nine proposed rule changes in football and seven in hurling after the Central Council of the GAA voted this weekend to introduce a spate of experimental rules to the game.
Depending on their success they will then be voted on at Annual Congress 2010 in County Down.

Some are significant, such as the complete overhaul of the square ball rule, the introduction of a mark and a proposal that penalties in Gaelic football be moved two metres closer to goal.
Others are technical and involve changes to the wording in current rules.
A number of these proposals may be tidied up and altered before the GAA release them later in the week.
Gaelic football's experimental rule changes:
1: When a player is in possession of the ball it may be struck with an open hand or a fist provided there is a definitive striking action (the current rule just allows for striking with the fist).
2: Introduction of a free kick (or mark) for catching a kick-out between the two 45 metre lines. Free kick must be taken by the player who catches the ball.
3: The rule governing the bounce is redefined - there will be no foul unless the ball is caught. That appears to suggest that a player may bounce the ball more than once as long as the ball is not caught.
4: The square ball rule is to be altered greatly. An attacking player can now enter the small rectangle before the ball. There are three exceptions: a player cannot be in the square before the ball if from a sideline kick, a free-kick or a 45.
5: Statistics show that fewer penalties are being scored. Therefore it is proposed that the penalty kick be moved forward from the 13 metre line to 11 metres from goal.
6: To speed up play it is proposed that all kick-outs be taken from the 13 metre line.
7: To provide more clarity to the advantage rule, referees shall use clearly defined signals to indicate that the foul has been seen and is playing advantage.
8: It was thought that players are getting charged while picking up the ball. To refine the rule and add protection, instead of a fair charge definition using the words 'side to side', the rule should refer to a 'shoulder to shoulder' charge.
9: Topical in view of the controversy during the Cork and Tyrone match and borrowing a rule from rugby, it is suggested that after the full time whistle comes after the expiration of added time when the ball next crosses any boundary line.

Selected hurling's experimental rule proposals:
1: After a number of unsightly scenes it is proposed that throws in should not take place closer than 13 metres from the sideline.
2: Judgement in whether the ball has been thrown has proven difficult so the committee is proposing that definition should be that ball must be released and struck with a definite
striking action of the hand.
3: Presumably to give the penalty taker more space, the wording in the rule shall change from 'before the penalty puck is taken' to 'before the ball is struck'.
4: The penalty for taking a puck-out outside the small square is to be altered. Instead of a free puck from the 65 metre line, the new penalty will be to cancel the puck out and throw the ball in on the defenders' 20 metres line.
5: It will now be foul to deliberately step outside the sidelines to gain an advantage. A free puck will be awarded from where the foul occurred. Like in football, clearer signals will be given in the advantage rule and a fair charge must be 'shoulder to shoulder', as to opposed to 'side to side'.

Gaelic football's experimental rule changes:
1: When a player is in possession of the ball it may be struck with an open hand or a fist provided there is a definitive striking action (the current rule just allows for striking with the fist).
Much much more needed to clarify the whole area of the tackle. This rule change is just reflecting what has been happening for years.

2: Introduction of a free kick (or mark) for catching a kick-out between the two 45 metre lines. Free kick must be taken by the player who catches the ball.
Should work ok I reckon. It needs to be clear what constitutes a catch. Is is catching and landing with the ball or just catching?

3: The rule governing the bounce is redefined - there will be no foul unless the ball is caught. That appears to suggest that a player may bounce the ball more than once as long as the ball is not caught.
No need for this IMO. Just enforce the current rules.

4: The square ball rule is to be altered greatly. An attacking player can now enter the small rectangle before the ball. There are three exceptions: a player cannot be in the square before the ball if from a sideline kick, a free-kick or a 45.
OK.

5: Statistics show that fewer penalties are being scored. Therefore it is proposed that the penalty kick be moved forward from the 13 metre line to 11 metres from goal.
OK

6: To speed up play it is proposed that all kick-outs be taken from the 13 metre line.
Don't see how this will speed things up.

7: To provide more clarity to the advantage rule, referees shall use clearly defined signals to indicate that the foul has been seen and is playing advantage.
OK (about time)

8: It was thought that players are getting charged while picking up the ball. To refine the rule and add protection, instead of a fair charge definition using the words 'side to side', the rule should refer to a 'shoulder to shoulder' charge.
Still not clear enough. The lack of a clarly define tackle rule is a persistent blight on the game.

9: Topical in view of the controversy during the Cork and Tyrone match and borrowing a rule from rugby, it is suggested that after the full time whistle comes after the expiration of added time when the ball next crosses any boundary line.
How will players know when the added time is over? The team that is winning will kick the ball out of play at the first opportunity but how will they know when that is? This rule favours the team that is behind.

Gaelic football's experimental rule changes:
1: When a player is in possession of the ball it may be struck with an open hand or a fist provided there is a definitive striking action (the current rule just allows for striking with the fist).
Much much more needed to clarify the whole area of the tackle. This rule change is just reflecting what has been happening for years.

Thought this was more a passing rule than a tackling one. Don't really see the point in it as players have been getting away with open hand passes for years, in fact some don't even know its an offence to pass with the open hand!!!


2: Introduction of a free kick (or mark) for catching a kick-out between the two 45 metre lines. Free kick must be taken by the player who catches the ball.
Should work ok I reckon. It needs to be clear what constitutes a catch. Is is catching and landing with the ball or just catching?

Should this not just be brought in for kick-outs and free kicks? There's a rule below about speeding play up, this rule will slow it down. Agree with RMD, clarification needed!!


3: The rule governing the bounce is redefined - there will be no foul unless the ball is caught. That appears to suggest that a player may bounce the ball more than once as long as the ball is not caught.
No need for this IMO. Just enforce the current rules.

Agreed


4: The square ball rule is to be altered greatly. An attacking player can now enter the small rectangle before the ball. There are three exceptions: a player cannot be in the square before the ball if from a sideline kick, a free-kick or a 45.
OK.

Agree, too grey an area for too long!

5: Statistics show that fewer penalties are being scored. Therefore it is proposed that the penalty kick be moved forward from the 13 metre line to 11 metres from goal.
OK

About time too!


6: To speed up play it is proposed that all kick-outs be taken from the 13 metre line.
Don't see how this will speed things up.

Agreed, surely this slows play down?

7: To provide more clarity to the advantage rule, referees shall use clearly defined signals to indicate that the foul has been seen and is playing advantage.
OK (about time)

Agreed


8: It was thought that players are getting charged while picking up the ball. To refine the rule and add protection, instead of a fair charge definition using the words 'side to side', the rule should refer to a 'shoulder to shoulder' charge.
Still not clear enough. The lack of a clarly define tackle rule is a persistent blight on the game.

Still a grey area, some refs give it some don't.


9: Topical in view of the controversy during the Cork and Tyrone match and borrowing a rule from rugby, it is suggested that after the full time whistle comes after the expiration of added time when the ball next crosses any boundary line.
How will players know when the added time is over? The team that is winning will kick the ball out of play at the first opportunity but how will they know when that is? This rule favours the team that is behind.

Will timekeeping be taken out of the refs hands? Hopefully. Also, will this have an effect in the reduction of replays? If sides are level after normal time will they both try and keep the ball in in order to win the game?

Selected hurling's experimental rule proposals:
1: After a number of unsightly scenes it is proposed that throws in should not take place closer than 13 metres from the sideline.

unslightly scenes? you what? is is so the crowd doesn't see said 'unsightly scenes' clearly?

2: Judgement in whether the ball has been thrown has proven difficult so the committee is proposing that definition should be that ball must be released and struck with a definite
striking action of the hand.

Good. Throwing is common and should be adressed.

3: Presumably to give the penalty taker more space, the wording in the rule shall change from 'before the penalty puck is taken' to 'before the ball is struck'.

Good.

4: The penalty for taking a puck-out outside the small square is to be altered. Instead of a free puck from the 65 metre line, the new penalty will be to cancel the puck out and throw the ball in on the defenders' 20 metres line.

Interesting one that. I suppose it could be argued that the 'keeper stepping outside the square is as good as giving the oppostion a point with the 65 rule. This lessens the risk of giving points away by flaunting this rule but continues to give the offending team a disadvantage. I like it.

5: It will now be foul to deliberately step outside the sidelines to gain an advantage. A free puck will be awarded from where the foul occurred. Like in football, clearer signals will be given in the advantage rule and a fair charge must be 'shoulder to shoulder', as to opposed to 'side to side'.

Not sure whether this should be a free puck of a throw-in. Will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

i am all for changing the rules if they are for the betterment of the game - and whilst i think some of these proposals are a step in the right direction what we are effectively doing is making the life of a referee harder - they cant get the big decisions right as it is and yet we are asking them to familiarise themselves with a new set of rules which might not see next summer.

the one i would like to see is were we take the whole time keeping issue away from refs the technology is there to deal with it

bald eagle wrote:Gaelic football's experimental rule changes:
1: When a player is in possession of the ball it may be struck with an open hand or a fist provided there is a definitive striking action (the current rule just allows for striking with the fist).
Much much more needed to clarify the whole area of the tackle. This rule change is just reflecting what has been happening for years.

Thought this was more a passing rule than a tackling one. Don't really see the point in it as players have been getting away with open hand passes for years, in fact some don't even know its an offence to pass with the open hand!!!

You're right BE. This is about hand-passing.