One of the biggest criticisms of the modern game is the primacy of what you might call a 'running game'. Gaelic football at it's essence is all about catch and kick, that's what we love to watch, that's what we practice as kids yet we don't see nearly enough of it on the playing pitch. How to address this now that another serious reappraisal of the rules is on the cards?

Look to the advantage rule that was successfully introduced but apply it to the long ball that is won cleanly by any player on the pitch. The onus would always be on any player who wins the long ball to play it immediately, the referee would play advantage but reserve the option of awarding the mark if no advantage accrues within that 5 second period following the catch.

Now we have a mark that can function in the gaelic code, that won't interrupt a free flowing game that is very different from the AFL (where the mark is all about winning territory), and we finally have a huge incentive for coaches to promote kick-passing. We could also legislate the the mark from kick-outs will only be awarded when the ball is won between the two 45s.

HighKing81 (Meath) - Posts: 129 - 04/04/2015 13:25:41    1710376

I agree with the mark for long kick outs but I have rreservations about it in other aread, I think just catching a ball Iin the scoring zone and then having a guarsnteed free is to easy and will be abused by coaches. I love to see high fielding but I'd hate to see the art of taking on and beating your man and taking a score go out of the game.

lillyboy (Kildare) - Posts: 429 - 04/04/2015 15:37:08    1710411

0 interest in having a mark..would only slow the game down...fielding is still excellent in our games..suggest you look at david morans display in the semi final last year for instance..as good as you will ever see

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 04/04/2015 15:37:18    1710412

This sport is called GAELIC Football, not AUSTRALIAN RULES Football. Adding is a mark is just creating a version of Aussie Rules with a round ball.

PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 04/04/2015 16:14:09    1710435

PoppinPoints
County: Meath
Posts: 68

"This sport is called GAELIC Football, not AUSTRALIAN RULES Football. Adding is a mark is just creating a version of Aussie Rules with a round ball. "

I don't think you read my opening post. What I'm suggesting is that the mark be handled similarly to the advantage rule, so the onus is always on the man in posession to play the ball, not to simply hold his hand up and demand a mark there and then.

I agree with Lillyboy that there may be reservations about what exactly constitutes advantage, if a player gets a shot away or a pass then is it fair to award him a mark. We might have to be stricter in our interpretation of advantage than what currently exists covering free kicks. There's no doubt that it would promote kick-passing, there by speeding up the game, giving us more drama, more high fielding but my proposition is very different to what exists in the AFL.

HighKing81 (Meath) - Posts: 129 - 05/04/2015 11:36:04    1710664