The GAA's Head of Games Pat Daly says last Saturday's first International Rules Test highlighted the decline in kicking and catching standards in Gaelic football.

"Kicking is playing a much reduced role in Gaelic football the way it has evolved in recent years. The game should have two outstanding characteristics, catching and kicking, which shouldn't be compromised. They should be rewarded," he said in The Irish Times.

"Instead we permit unlimited hand-passing which undermines the need to kick and have recently refused to accept a modified version of the mark, which would reward those players who practise the skill of fielding, which is one of the great aspects of our game.

"I'm afraid we're gravitating towards an overly running game, which encourages players to slow down the play with keep ball and try to engineer frees. There are too few restrictions on possession. In hurling you can't take the ball in hand twice. If there was unrestricted possession it would affect the way the game is played." Tweet

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