All sports change rules regularly.
Rugby union introduces 2-3 changes every year to try and improve the sport.
Its the way of the world. If you don't change you get left behind.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 25/11/2014 10:21:56    1674751

So rugby union now is all sports? What other major sport has changed it's rules as much as the gaa have?

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 25/11/2014 11:17:14    1674760

Soccer - possibly the biggest sport in the world - is constantly changing/updating/tweeking it's rules...eg; FFP, off-side, backpass, the foreigner rule, number of permitted subs, tackling just to name a few. So too is rugby - the scrum for example, and tackling too.

The problem with the GAA is the changes that they make tend to normally be the ones that they don't need to make, bar say the black card to a degree which is removing the cynical acts from the game.

Personally I'd like to see the pick up changed to allow any player to cleanly lift the ball from the ground without the need to put their toe under it.
I'd also like to see the whole area of discipline overhauled, which in fairness they are kinda trying to do...seems though it just depends on who you are. Also, I'd love to see the provincial championships scrapped because other than the Munster SHC, none of them are what they used to be.

EndaKenny (Kildare) - Posts: 12 - 25/11/2014 12:38:39    1674779

Soccer 1970 introduction of yellow and red cards. 1992 back pass rule . 2012 goaline technology .. That's the 3 main rules that affected the actual playing game. Now think of all the rule changes we had since 1970? Tooooooooo numerous to mention from the sideline kick to the hand/fist pass to the 60 min 70 min 80min finals to the quick free to the square ball to the black card to the blah blah never ending set of nonsense .

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 25/11/2014 14:31:44    1674809

I would tend to agree that changes to the rules can improve the games if they are implemented properly.
The black card is a good idea and should be brought into hurling as well, however I am bitterly disappointed with the way it was implemented especially at club level, I have been at countless club games this year when a team is winning by 1,2,3,4 points with 5-10 mins to go and they have just been cynically dragging the opposition down with no punishment other than a free. It worked well at intercounty games in the national league but the majority of refs didnt have the balls to implement it in the big games.
The only rule I would take from the Aussie rules is the mark for kickouts beyond the 45.
Also having a ref in either half is a good idea, particularly in hurling, especially because of the shape some of our refs are in.
Another change that I would take from a different sport is the rule in basketball, once you go into the oppositions half with the ball you cannot go back into your own half with the ball, except do it at the 45.
TMO isn't a bad idea but with hawkeye now there is probably no need.
2 points from a sideline in both codes should be brought in as well, incredible skill

pooper_trooper (Monaghan) - Posts: 108 - 25/11/2014 15:05:08    1674822

We even moved the bloody penalty spot!!

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 25/11/2014 15:09:26    1674824

A mark in GAA but the ball must have traveled 30 40 metres. The aerial contests would be unreal in or around the goal area. Love to see it tried out as Im a big fan of the mark

deadybai (Kilkenny) - Posts: 63 - 25/11/2014 15:51:49    1674847

a few simple rules from the AFL:

Whoever wins a free has to take the free - this will remove the specialist free takers and force all players to improve their kick passing. It will also remove the current time wasting of waiting for the goalies to arrive to take the free.

If a free has been awarded and the fouling player has the ball they have to hand it back to the fouled player or the ball is brought forward 50m (probably only need 13m or 20m in GAA) - eg a player is pushed in the back and the opposition takes the ball - he has to hand it back, not throw it on the ground or kick it away

The interchange bench would be a welcome addition - although it needs extra stewarding to make sure there are not extra players on the pitch

Two referees (especially in hurling) at either end of the pitch would make things fairer for all teams. Can never understand how a hurling ref is expected to keep up with the flight of a sliothar

Just my thoughts as a GAA referee in Kildare and an AFL referee in the Irish Aussie rules league

f1hornet (Kerry) - Posts: 1 - 25/11/2014 16:17:56    1674856

So how do we measure 30/40 meters exactly in the speed of a championship game with refs who are generally over loaded with rules and get it all their time to keep up with the play without measuring an imaginary 40 meters in their head? It's a contactless sport as it is without a mark .

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 25/11/2014 16:24:12    1674859

A couple of years ago we brought in (or brought back, if your prefer) the mark for kick outs that cross the 45. I'd have kept that, no idea why it was scrapped. Here's Marty Clarke winning one http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EBt4HxxQ7Vw

One thing the Aussies have that I'd nick is that a player is allowed to stand at the spot where a free was taken so that the free taker has to retreat slightly to kick it over him. Sick of watching lads steal 15-20 yards for every free.

Count_Awesome (Kildare) - Posts: 736 - 25/11/2014 19:32:57    1674916

dirtybag
County: Cavan
Posts: 176

1674809 Soccer 1970 introduction of yellow and red cards. 1992 back pass rule . 2012 goaline technology .. That's the 3 main rules that affected the actual playing game. Now think of all the rule changes we had since 1970? Tooooooooo numerous to mention from the sideline kick to the hand/fist pass to the 60 min 70 min 80min finals to the quick free to the square ball to the black card to the blah blah never ending set of nonsense .

Should we go back to the football of the 1970's. Watch a bit of All Ireland gold and compare it to what we have today.



Soccer rule changes since 1990


1990 - Shinguards made mandatory.
1990 - Offside rule slightly changed: no longer offside if the receiving player is even with 2nd-last defender keeper
1991 - The 'professional foul' - taking a clear goal scoring opportunity away from an attack by making a foul - now results in a red card.
1992 - Goalkeepers banned from picking up a pass with their hands.
1993 - Violent sliding tackle from behind results in a red card
1993 - Coaches permitted to give tactical instructions from the touch line.
1995 - Three substitutions allowed.
1998 - Offside rule changed
1997 - Scoring directly from a kick-off or goal kick now permitted.
2001 - Golden Goal
2002 - indirect free kick changed
2005 - Offside rule changed

There are a few dozen more slight tweaks not to mention off field changes like addition of 4th official, goal line official/technology etc.

Rugby has two many to mention, USA are the defending Olympic Rugby champions because American football was almost identical to rugby in the 1920'3. Cricket has evolved into 3 formats to keep the crowds interested.

Change is inevitable. Would you like to go back to the days of 1-4 to 0-3 point high scoring matches with 18-20 players a side?

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 27/11/2014 08:52:35    1675126

Rule changes are inevitable in any sport over time. As others have mentioned, the mark for kick outs over the 45 is one I'd like to see being used again, don't know why it was dropped. 2 ref's seems a bit of a no brainer considering the way both football and hurling are played these days at IC level. Thought the sin bin was a good idea, GAA decided to over complicate things with the black card. Penalise off the ball fouls within the 60 with a free from the 21, unless of course the foul results in a penalty. Lot's more but that'll do for now.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 484 - 27/11/2014 16:44:18    1675226

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Among the many many things we can learn from the AFL are:

introduce 2 referees and copy the the mature way in which the AFL referee speaks to the players, with clear continual guidance and advice. How many times did we hear the ref clearly shouting instructions and explanations to the players during the IRS? It reduced player frustration and also took away some of the tendency to blame a ref because hey, he was already shouting at you to kick it before you made that last hand pass or before you jumped into the square or got involved in that 3rd man tackle.

We should allow the "play on" rule where, after a free kick has been awarded, the player can just decide to run with the ball instead of having to kick it.

Klaxxon. When time is up time is up. No injury time, allow players be treated on the pitch while the game is running and substitutions to be recorded by the official on the sideline.

Review all matches and ban players if they've comitted an offence that wasn't spotted. Look up the AFL tribunal to see what that entails.

diablodeKingdom (Kerry) - Posts: 210 - 01/12/2014 14:43:55    1675768