National Forum

Brilliant Football Rules!

(Oldest Posts First)

What a year we've all enjoyed since the league started at the end of last January. The football rules have been absolutely fantastic! The club championships were absolutely brilliant!
The All Ireland club final last Sunday was the icing on the cake. The FRC emphatically delivered. Football at all levels is a joy to play and watch again! Different approaches and tactics. There are many ways to skin a cat and all teams are finding the best approach that suits them.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9519 - 22/01/2026 15:06:29    2652517

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Replying To legendzxix:  "What a year we've all enjoyed since the league started at the end of last January. The football rules have been absolutely fantastic! The club championships were absolutely brilliant!
The All Ireland club final last Sunday was the icing on the cake. The FRC emphatically delivered. Football at all levels is a joy to play and watch again! Different approaches and tactics. There are many ways to skin a cat and all teams are finding the best approach that suits them."
At least the game is watchable again!

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 408 - 22/01/2026 16:09:11    2652540

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Replying To Seanfan:  "At least the game is watchable again!"
maybe its only "watchable" in roscommon but its far far better than watchable in the rest of the country, ye might have a problem within

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 3046 - 23/01/2026 09:46:14    2652649

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Replying To Seanfan:  "At least the game is watchable again!"
New rules have helped but there were plenty of good games before the change and the constant hand passing by teams holding possession is as bad as ever and number of hand passing seems to have escalated even further

isfeidirrlinn (Armagh) - Posts: 19 - 23/01/2026 10:09:13    2652656

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Replying To isfeidirrlinn:  "New rules have helped but there were plenty of good games before the change and the constant hand passing by teams holding possession is as bad as ever and number of hand passing seems to have escalated even further"
The one criticism of the FRC was ignoring the handball epidemic.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 408 - 23/01/2026 11:57:05    2652687

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Replying To isfeidirrlinn:  "New rules have helped but there were plenty of good games before the change and the constant hand passing by teams holding possession is as bad as ever and number of hand passing seems to have escalated even further"
Indeed there was good games before but every bad game was highlighted by the media and good ones manly ignored especially prior to the congress vote. It's the opposite with good and bad games now.

Too much Hand passing is a issue, and all the successful Kerry teams at club and county level the last year have played through the hands football, their traditional kick and catch, a style the FRC was hoping would be manly played and that All-Irelands won with that style hasn't materialised

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3865 - 23/01/2026 12:11:43    2652694

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Brilliant football rules and some not so brilliant rules!

David Clifford scored a great two pointer after the half time hooter in last year's All Ireland final. Donegal for some bizarre reason left their opponent keep the ball for two minutes. Changing the hooter rule because Donegal didn't push out on their opponent was an over reaction.

Going back to last year's hooter should be reconsidered. Central Council have the power to change it. Should be changed before Round 3 in two weeks.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9519 - 01/02/2026 18:40:29    2654379

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Replying To isfeidirrlinn:  "New rules have helped but there were plenty of good games before the change and the constant hand passing by teams holding possession is as bad as ever and number of hand passing seems to have escalated even further"
Overall the rules have helped but the constant hand passing isn't joyous at all and every team are at it. Possession is the name of the game. The over carry is not been reffed at all and tackling will have to to strongly discouraged by a manager in the scoreable zone outside the arc as you'll just give two points away. It's eliminating the physical especially when the ref is if the fussy nature.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 979 - 01/02/2026 19:24:50    2654405

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "Overall the rules have helped but the constant hand passing isn't joyous at all and every team are at it. Possession is the name of the game. The over carry is not been reffed at all and tackling will have to to strongly discouraged by a manager in the scoreable zone outside the arc as you'll just give two points away. It's eliminating the physical especially when the ref is if the fussy nature."
I dont think anyone wants a rule on limiting the number of passes but there are a few options which make handpassing less of a good idea
1. 10/20 second rule - ball must be moved out of own half within 10 seconds of a turnover or kickout.
2. Back pitch rule - once you cross the halfway line and no back
3. Illegal Defence - if the defending team brings more than 9 players inside the 40M arch - then its a free against them
4. fist passing only - open hand is a free against you
5. Mark - mark for any kick pass caught over the head after being kicked over 40m.
6. No return handpass- once you receive a hand pass, you cant hand pass it back to the same guy.
7. No two pointer - two point score only counts as 1 if the kicker received the ball from a handpass.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1709 - 09/02/2026 12:31:59    2655645

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "I dont think anyone wants a rule on limiting the number of passes but there are a few options which make handpassing less of a good idea
1. 10/20 second rule - ball must be moved out of own half within 10 seconds of a turnover or kickout.
2. Back pitch rule - once you cross the halfway line and no back
3. Illegal Defence - if the defending team brings more than 9 players inside the 40M arch - then its a free against them
4. fist passing only - open hand is a free against you
5. Mark - mark for any kick pass caught over the head after being kicked over 40m.
6. No return handpass- once you receive a hand pass, you cant hand pass it back to the same guy.
7. No two pointer - two point score only counts as 1 if the kicker received the ball from a handpass."
Good luck to refereeing those rules!

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 940 - 09/02/2026 13:07:55    2655656

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"Back pitch rule - once you cross the halfway line and no back"
- On this one, did the FRC share reasoning for not going with this one?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9519 - 09/02/2026 14:33:23    2655669

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "I dont think anyone wants a rule on limiting the number of passes but there are a few options which make handpassing less of a good idea
1. 10/20 second rule - ball must be moved out of own half within 10 seconds of a turnover or kickout.
2. Back pitch rule - once you cross the halfway line and no back
3. Illegal Defence - if the defending team brings more than 9 players inside the 40M arch - then its a free against them
4. fist passing only - open hand is a free against you
5. Mark - mark for any kick pass caught over the head after being kicked over 40m.
6. No return handpass- once you receive a hand pass, you cant hand pass it back to the same guy.
7. No two pointer - two point score only counts as 1 if the kicker received the ball from a handpass."
A player recieves a hand pass 60 metres from goal and shoots scoring an unbelievable point and you only award one point as he recieved a handpass? Ridiculous comment! Also how many refs would you need to ref with your ideas.Pure silly.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 519 - 09/02/2026 15:07:13    2655682

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