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Can Gaelic Football (Handball?) Be Saved?

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I started this post by bemoaning the 'take-over' of our game by the handpass. And, that as the name of the post suggests, perhaps we should begin referring to the game, once known as 'football' to 'handball'.

Latest data suggests about 3.5 as many handpasses as kicks in a game.
Handpassing, while requiring virtually no skill, is a huge contributor to the 'boring' aspect of the game; it enables the interminable play over and back across the field as the crowd goes to sleep.

I went on, in subsequent posts, to express disappointment that Jim Gavin's FRC were not addressing the handpass problem. I could not understand it and still can't.

Neither could I understand why, as far as I could see, no journalist had commented on this.
Well, now, I am glad to report that Sean Moran in yesterday's Irish Times has, as follows:
One of the surprises that has arisen anecdotally is the lack of action on what many see as the scourge of the hand pass a topic on which the GE has been keeping a close eye on for a long time The current FRC did look at addressing this early on but felt that restrictions on the hand pass may have an unintended consequence for the attacking team close to the opponents goal. Furthermore the feedback from intercounty referees was that a limitation of consecutive passes would be problematic from an implementation perspective.
This prompted one fundamentalist to exclaim: "What they can't count to one!"

I'm looking forward to the Croke Park trials but remain sceptical that any significant improvement will be forthcoming unless the handpass scourge is addressed.

Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 304 - 04/10/2024 16:33:27    2573071

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One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?

Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 304 - 08/10/2024 10:46:01    2573621

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Replying To Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1950 - 08/10/2024 11:19:42    2573629

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "
Replying To Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 08/10/2024 13:03:28    2573655

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "
Replying To Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
They are going to make the game worse with all these rule changes…. Far too many changes… just drop some of the silly ones already there…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3025 - 08/10/2024 13:29:35    2573665

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Replying To Viking66:  "
Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch."]AKA The Halfway Line.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 08/10/2024 13:41:35    2573668

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "
Replying To Viking66:  "[quote=Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch."]AKA The Halfway Line."]There isn't one in Strokestown anyway.
I know McHale Park is short, but most pitches are longer than 130m.
Irrelevant now as I see their latest proposal is to extend the half way line across the full pitch and use that instead of 65.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1950 - 08/10/2024 15:50:18    2573699

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "
Replying To GreenandRed:  "[quote=Viking66:  "[quote=Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch."]AKA The Halfway Line."]There isn't one in Strokestown anyway.
I know McHale Park is short, but most pitches are longer than 130m.
Irrelevant now as I see their latest proposal is to extend the half way line across the full pitch and use that instead of 65."]Where do they propose to take 65s from when hurling is played on the pitch then?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 08/10/2024 20:35:26    2573755

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They will have lines and arcs painted all over the pitch at this rate of going…. God help the poor guys that have to mark and line out pitches at club level… But the geniuses coming up with these nonsensical new rules have no regard or thought for the grass roots of the game…..They are of the opinion that every game is played in Croke Park or somewhere similar….!!!!!!

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3025 - 08/10/2024 21:53:24    2573781

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They will have lines and arcs painted all over the pitch at this rate of going…. God help the poor guys that have to mark and line out pitches at club level… But the geniuses coming up with these nonsensical new rules have no regard or thought for the grass roots of the game…..They are of the opinion that every game is played in Croke Park or somewhere similar….!!!!!!

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3025 - 08/10/2024 22:01:42    2573787

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Replying To Viking66:  "
Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=GreenandRed:  "[quote=Viking66:  "[quote=Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch."]AKA The Halfway Line."]There isn't one in Strokestown anyway.
I know McHale Park is short, but most pitches are longer than 130m.
Irrelevant now as I see their latest proposal is to extend the half way line across the full pitch and use that instead of 65."]Where do they propose to take 65s from when hurling is played on the pitch then?"]I think Seanfanbocht is saying the halfway line will be the new border rather than the 65m line?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 08/10/2024 22:20:02    2573791

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "
Replying To Viking66:  "[quote=Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=GreenandRed:  "[quote=Viking66:  "[quote=Seanfanbocht:  "[quote=Aibrean:  "One of the proposed FRC changes to be trialled in Croke Park:
"This rule enhancement under consideration would oblige both teams to always have a minimum of three players inside each 65 yard line. So, if you're the defending team, you must keep three outfield players inside the opposition '65 and defend with a maximum of 11 players outside it. If a defending player retreats beyond the '65 to give his team a numerical advantage then they would concede a free on their own 13 metre line to the opposition. If a player carries the ball past their own '65 and leaves less than three team-mates behind them then a free is given to the opposition at the point where they crossed the line.

By having to keep three up and three back, space should be created for the attacking team. If the defending team turns the ball over they'd have an opportunity to kick in the counter-attack to which should lead to more end to end action".


Does it mean that there would a minimum of 6 outfield players inside both 65s at all times?"
Do they realise theres no 65 metre line in football?

Seeing as most Refs can't count steps or see fouling off the ball are they now going to add a "player counting" official (or 2) to police this 6 player thing???"
There is one painted on every pitch."]AKA The Halfway Line."]There isn't one in Strokestown anyway.
I know McHale Park is short, but most pitches are longer than 130m.
Irrelevant now as I see their latest proposal is to extend the half way line across the full pitch and use that instead of 65."]Where do they propose to take 65s from when hurling is played on the pitch then?"]I think Seanfanbocht is saying the halfway line will be the new border rather than the 65m line?"]There will still be 65s painted on the pitches for hurling. There's a hurling and football triple header in Wexford Park on Saturday and a hurling and football double header there on Sunday.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 09/10/2024 07:11:37    2573809

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That Gaelic football match on TV was embarrassing for the gaa . In a pub where everyone was watching a historic rugby match between Munster and Leinster in a full Croke park and while it was one sided there was some great scores , then this football match from Derry comes on which saw everyone throwing their eyes up to heaven about the slow boring cynical carry on …. huge PR disaster for Gaelic football

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 717 - 13/10/2024 09:19:13    2574468

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Replying To OpenStand:  "That Gaelic football match on TV was embarrassing for the gaa . In a pub where everyone was watching a historic rugby match between Munster and Leinster in a full Croke park and while it was one sided there was some great scores , then this football match from Derry comes on which saw everyone throwing their eyes up to heaven about the slow boring cynical carry on …. huge PR disaster for Gaelic football"
Why do millions of people watch soccer religiously every week ?

Gaelic football has adopted the same tactics, keep poession, short passes, no long ball, play out from the back, recycle the ball when opportunities are not on, try to make the pitch as big as possible. There's minimal shots on the target, with 1-1 and 1-0 the most common score lines.

WEX98 (Wexford) - Posts: 474 - 13/10/2024 16:12:05    2574543

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Replying To WEX98:  "Why do millions of people watch soccer religiously every week ?

Gaelic football has adopted the same tactics, keep poession, short passes, no long ball, play out from the back, recycle the ball when opportunities are not on, try to make the pitch as big as possible. There's minimal shots on the target, with 1-1 and 1-0 the most common score lines."
It depends what you consider to be a good game WEX98. Same rules in soccer that have been there for years, tactics changed in the last 10 odd years with some teams liking to play out from the back, as you say. It's often their unfoing as Burnley found out under Kompany. People watch it because they can understand the tactics. They don't all believe in the armchair social media hype that a 5-4 game of soccer is a 'fantastic game'. More often than not some poor defending has contributed to the scoreline and the standard of defending in soccer has definitely declined. Defensive midfielders covering up for some defenders weaknesses. Wingbacks rather than full backs who are poor defenders but can be decent getting forward. But they have an offside rule to help keep the score down and can only score by foot or head. Similarly some armchair social media supporters only rate a high scoring game of Gaeluc Football. Which is wrong. A proper hardhitting low scoring contest in Gaelic Football can be be as good to be at as a high scoring game, but watching on television mightn't look as good. And there are a whole lot more ways of scoring in Gaelic Football than soccer. Arguably easier to score in than most other ball sports.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 13/10/2024 17:03:45    2574550

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Replying To WEX98:  "Why do millions of people watch soccer religiously every week ?

Gaelic football has adopted the same tactics, keep poession, short passes, no long ball, play out from the back, recycle the ball when opportunities are not on, try to make the pitch as big as possible. There's minimal shots on the target, with 1-1 and 1-0 the most common score lines."
Gaelic football is a flawed game and since the tacticians have come on board it has been destroyed.

crafty (Galway) - Posts: 257 - 13/10/2024 17:07:26    2574552

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "It depends what you consider to be a good game WEX98. Same rules in soccer that have been there for years, tactics changed in the last 10 odd years with some teams liking to play out from the back, as you say. It's often their unfoing as Burnley found out under Kompany. People watch it because they can understand the tactics. They don't all believe in the armchair social media hype that a 5-4 game of soccer is a 'fantastic game'. More often than not some poor defending has contributed to the scoreline and the standard of defending in soccer has definitely declined. Defensive midfielders covering up for some defenders weaknesses. Wingbacks rather than full backs who are poor defenders but can be decent getting forward. But they have an offside rule to help keep the score down and can only score by foot or head. Similarly some armchair social media supporters only rate a high scoring game of Gaeluc Football. Which is wrong. A proper hardhitting low scoring contest in Gaelic Football can be be as good to be at as a high scoring game, but watching on television mightn't look as good. And there are a whole lot more ways of scoring in Gaelic Football than soccer. Arguably easier to score in than most other ball sports."
I'm just wondering what type of game the "experts" are expecting......the FRC committee is made up of former managers.......they brought in the tactics they now want to change.........I don't recall Stephen Cluxon kicking the kickouts past the 40. Apparently he was the greatest goalkeeper ever due to the quality of his kick outs, I often wondered how good would his kicks have been if he was kicking out to the Wexford footballers!!

WEX98 (Wexford) - Posts: 474 - 13/10/2024 17:48:43    2574574

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Under proposed new rules:

Would a minimum of 6 outfield players be inside both 65s at all times?

Aibrean (Kerry) - Posts: 304 - 14/10/2024 11:31:25    2574755

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Replying To Aibrean:  "Under proposed new rules:

Would a minimum of 6 outfield players be inside both 65s at all times?"
Half way line, no 65s in football.
But yes, 3 attackers, 3 defenders

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1950 - 14/10/2024 11:44:06    2574761

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Replying To WEX98:  "I'm just wondering what type of game the "experts" are expecting......the FRC committee is made up of former managers.......they brought in the tactics they now want to change.........I don't recall Stephen Cluxon kicking the kickouts past the 40. Apparently he was the greatest goalkeeper ever due to the quality of his kick outs, I often wondered how good would his kicks have been if he was kicking out to the Wexford footballers!!"
Of course if the opposition conceded the short kick-out Cluxton would accept it. But when the opposition put the press on Cluxton is and was excellent at finding a colleague with a long kick and sure he had good targets like McAuley, Fenton, Bastick, Connolly and Howard to aim for but on the other hand many of the games where he excelled were against top opposition in All Ireland semis and finals, opposition that forced Cluxton to be deadly accurate which he invariably was.

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 793 - 14/10/2024 14:15:30    2574811

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