Watching on Friday night as the Football Review Committee’s proposed new rules began their most significant trial, it was hard not to be reminded of another experiment.
The at times conscious deliberation by players, as in policing the three-on-three structure, referees providing commentary and assistance – David Coldrick was excellent in the Allianz interprovincial final on Saturday night – and the odd moments of indecision: it was like a child learning to read, mouthing the words as they went along.
This was strongly reminiscent of the now all-out defunct International Rules project, a game played only every couple of years and always featuring players who hadn’t encountered it previously.
That project had its moments: speeded-up play and the presence of a tackle discouraging teams from lingering in possession contributed to what could be an exciting spectacle.
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The big difference between that and the weekend is that already, what are known as “the enhanced rules” have had four outings and if all goes well for them, they will be played week-in and week-out in next year’s national league.
There were even suggestions at the weekend that the peculiarly untimely suspension of the preseason tournaments might be revisited to allow additional game time for players to adapt – a prospect on which the FRC remains diplomatically reserved.
FRC member Colm Collins made the point on Friday that players were battling at least a decade’s programming when adjusting to the rules and that the full impact had to await a greater level of acclimatisation.
Jim Gavin’s committee will go away and crunch the numbers from the four matches but already certain trends have emerged. Another member, James Horan ran through a few on Saturday night, clearly enthused by the rate of improvement since the unhelpful imbalance of Friday’s first match between Connacht and Leinster.
“The games were getting better. The turnovers were down; the shots per attack were going through the roof. They were improving as we went through them.”
The scene is now set for special congress in six weeks, assuming Central Council gives its imprimatur. Delegates will consider rule changes individually although the clear preference of the FRC is that they be seen as package.
1. 1v1 throw-in
This appeared to work quite well in its stated purpose of cleaning up the melee of four centrefielders competing for the ball. The hoped-for “opportunity to immediately attack” was at times filtered through fisting the ball forward for further contest but it was a tidier, more dynamic spectacle.
2. Kick-outs
There was no doubt that the requirement to travel beyond the 40-metre arc created more contests for possession – up 50 per cent on the championship average, according to James Horan.
There was though quite a pushback, especially from Ulster. Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan raised the topical issue of high winds and how that can turn kick-outs into “hoofing matches,” undermining rather than enhancing the skills involved.
That view is in many ways central to the culture wars between contest and control and the consensus is hardening against the problems created by excessive control.
3. Restriction on goalkeepers
The principal restriction is in defence where a goalkeeper can only receive a pass from a team-mate inside the large rectangle. It served its purpose by removing the ‘keeper as a participant in laborious passages of keep ball as teams transition from the back.
Allowing passes inside the opposition half also had a big impact. Morgan was named Man of the Match on Friday evening for his all-round game, including forward interventions.
The FRC view was that whereas a ‘keeper’s outfield involvement in defensive team play had become a problem, interventions farther up the field were a welcome addition to the excitement of the game. Morgan demonstrated this by the quality of his long-range shooting for a two-pointer.
There has been criticism of the forward licence because it creates a 12 v 11 overload. In response the FRC argue that there is jeopardy for the attacking team in the risk of their goalkeeper being stranded upfield. In the final, Morgan was penalised for overholding and but for the fact that Connacht were trying to run down the clock, his absence might have been exposed.
4. 40-metre arc and scoring system
This emerged as an immediate target on Friday night, conditioned by Connacht’s overwhelming of Leinster. Aidan O’Shea – who thrived under the rules – argued afterwards that the two-pointers were “unnecessary”. Manager Pádraic Joyce was similarly unimpressed.
“You get two points for a point from 40 metres; you get one from 39 so, I don’t know if that will be kept.”
That and the four-point goal definitely contributed to killing off the match early and there was concern expressed that it would lead to massacres in mismatches. That happens anyway and is more a function of disparity in competitiveness, particularly in provincial championships.
It’s hard to argue with the view expressed by one FRC member that whereas hurling has five championship tiers, football has only just introduced a second.
Adjusting that is not the committee’s remit but more relevantly, the two points awarded for kicking from outside the arc is intended to create a dilemma for defenders: push out and guard the 40 or stay closer to goal.
Leinster got that wrong on Friday but tightened up considerably a day later. There may be a reconsideration of allowing the two points for a 45, because it makes a foul inside the arc more beneficial to a defending team than a skilful tackle or block that concedes a 45; but the new value is likely to continue for a free in order not to incentivise fouling a skilful kicker, like Rian O’Neill, on the 40.
5. 3/3 structure
This was one of the big successes of the weekend. At first, discipline wavered and one of the players required to be inside the halfway line wandered and the consequent 20-metre free was awarded. It’s a strict penalty and by day two, its deterrent value had worked.
The requirement to have three up front created a lot of space elsewhere but players spoke about the increased options in possession when team-mates were already forward and the incentive to kick pass, which was seen to frequent effect.
Greater freedom for inside forwards led to some terrific performances, especially by Saturday’s first Man of the Match, Adrian Spillane, for whom the requirement to be constantly forward proved fruitful with a nine-point return.
As Colm Collins noted, this wasn’t always the case and there remained bouts of hand passing but equally, he said that as the rules settle, that would change. The vexed question of the hand pass is being addressed by modifying the environment so that it becomes a less obvious recourse.
6. Solo and go
This was seamlessly absorbed, as players frequently took the option to attack immediately from a free rather than take a kick. It added greatly to the flow and pace of the game. On that point, the demands on players turned out to be considerable. The 11 defending players had a lot more running to do.
To counter this, the weekend’s matches were broken into quarters with interchange or rolling replacements. League matches will have 35-minute halves and defined substitutions and this may require further attention.
7. Advanced mark
Awarded for a clean catch, inside the 20-metre line, of a pass kicked from the 45-metre line, this was not terribly prominent over the weekend despite its outsized benefits for the catcher, who can take on the defender and if that does not work out, revert to taking the mark from where the ball was caught.
As observed by FRC member Eamonn Fitzmaurice on RTÉ commentary, “it’s hard to execute”.
Discipline
The various frees brought forward, to the 20-metre line or the 50-metre penalty for dissent and gamesmanship were very effective. By the end of Saturday’s final, players were actually handing the ball to opponents for free kicks.
There were some complaints that the penalties were extreme but Jim Gavin is correct to argue that’s the way you make people pay attention.
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