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Proposed New Hurling Rules

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The new rules in hurling to be trialed by the universitys shortly are to be welcomed.
However some of the proposed changes are a little baffling. As in soccer the linesmen will cover one half of the field. So if the ball goes over the line on the side opposite him that he is covering how can he decide in tight exchanges from so far away who's line ball it is?
The other proposal concerns line balls aswel.
They want a line ball to be worth 2 points.
That was experiment with many years ago and was quickly withdrawn. Why would they think that it would work and be accepted now?
There will be much talk about the new proposed rules and should be given every chance.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 742 - 16/09/2026 17:29:27    2694024

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Replying To Magpie2:  "The new rules in hurling to be trialed by the universitys shortly are to be welcomed.
However some of the proposed changes are a little baffling. As in soccer the linesmen will cover one half of the field. So if the ball goes over the line on the side opposite him that he is covering how can he decide in tight exchanges from so far away who's line ball it is?
The other proposal concerns line balls aswel.
They want a line ball to be worth 2 points.
That was experiment with many years ago and was quickly withdrawn. Why would they think that it would work and be accepted now?
There will be much talk about the new proposed rules and should be given every chance."
Listened to them more indepth on the Indo.

The lads made a fair point on the s/l rule that you'd nearly be better of letting lads shoot than trying to hook or block them.

The handpass probably a wait and see, sounds good but once you've been bottled up a ruck begins.

65m defensive not too sure tbh.

The short puck out change not a fan of. It's their atm to help teams build an attack and work the ball, yet they want to change it to 50/50 contests that'd only reward physicality, soon enough you'll only chose players that have a certain profile of being like 6'0 and let's say minimum 90kgs.

The steps increase is a joke especially with the tackle change. Backs will find it very hard to be in games with this and the puck outs.

The 1v1 throw-in also sounds ridiculous.

ColmFlaherty (Galway) - Posts: 251 - 16/09/2026 19:03:07    2694031

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Replying To Magpie2:  "The new rules in hurling to be trialed by the universitys shortly are to be welcomed.
However some of the proposed changes are a little baffling. As in soccer the linesmen will cover one half of the field. So if the ball goes over the line on the side opposite him that he is covering how can he decide in tight exchanges from so far away who's line ball it is?
The other proposal concerns line balls aswel.
They want a line ball to be worth 2 points.
That was experiment with many years ago and was quickly withdrawn. Why would they think that it would work and be accepted now?
There will be much talk about the new proposed rules and should be given every chance."
6 steps will now be 8 or 9..Not a good move.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 809 - 16/09/2026 21:23:16    2694046

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Replying To ColmFlaherty:  "Listened to them more indepth on the Indo.

The lads made a fair point on the s/l rule that you'd nearly be better of letting lads shoot than trying to hook or block them.

The handpass probably a wait and see, sounds good but once you've been bottled up a ruck begins.

65m defensive not too sure tbh.

The short puck out change not a fan of. It's their atm to help teams build an attack and work the ball, yet they want to change it to 50/50 contests that'd only reward physicality, soon enough you'll only chose players that have a certain profile of being like 6'0 and let's say minimum 90kgs.

The steps increase is a joke especially with the tackle change. Backs will find it very hard to be in games with this and the puck outs.

The 1v1 throw-in also sounds ridiculous."
Also on the sideline rule - it has the potential to only encourage fouling.

Say you're playing against a team that has somebody who's well capable of putting a sideline cut over the bar. An opponent is soloing up the field, just inside the sideline.

If you lamp him out of it, the punishment is a free that's potentially only worth one point. But cleanly knock the ball away from him and over the line, and suddenly you're facing a sideline cut that could see them put two points on the board.

As for the linesman thing - I seriously don't understand it unless the intention is for both linesmen to continue to cover the full length of the pitch, and the half of it that's closest to them. But is that not what they do already?

Otherwise, if it's to be soccer-style, with each linesman stopping at halfway -

Picture Croke Park. One linesman is to run the line on the Hogan Stand side, between the corner where it meets the Nally Terrace and halfway. The other linesman is to run the Cusack Stand side, from halfway to where it meets the Davin Stand.

Now something controversial happens at the corner where Hill 16 meets the Cusack. One linesman is the full width of the pitch away. The other is half the length of the pitch away. How are either of them supposed to reliably assist the referee?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4156 - 17/09/2026 12:15:52    2694083

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Baffling is the word re the added steps proposal … I would have reduced the allowed steps to three which it is possible for a referee to count and impose a penalty if the player does not release or pass within three steps. I have tried counting the steps taken and it's very difficult when you pass three steps. Currently the players are edging towards 5/6 steps minimum but why reward their illegality and lack of skill.

Blackcoatsoffthefield (Galway) - Posts: 43 - 17/09/2026 12:42:38    2694089

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Replying To Blackcoatsoffthefield:  "Baffling is the word re the added steps proposal … I would have reduced the allowed steps to three which it is possible for a referee to count and impose a penalty if the player does not release or pass within three steps. I have tried counting the steps taken and it's very difficult when you pass three steps. Currently the players are edging towards 5/6 steps minimum but why reward their illegality and lack of skill."
I think the six steps thing is intended as a recognition of "players generally take more than four anyway, so we may as well allow for it". But all that will happen is they'll now take eight or nine instead.

On the handpass thing - I watched about 15 minutes of a game last weekend with that new trial rule in mind. In all that time, only once did a player who'd received a handpass attempt to then give a handpass himself.

Successive handpassing is not an issue in hurling and I don't know why they've chosen to make it one.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4156 - 17/09/2026 15:44:25    2694117

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I think the six steps thing is intended as a recognition of "players generally take more than four anyway, so we may as well allow for it". But all that will happen is they'll now take eight or nine instead.

On the handpass thing - I watched about 15 minutes of a game last weekend with that new trial rule in mind. In all that time, only once did a player who'd received a handpass attempt to then give a handpass himself.

Successive handpassing is not an issue in hurling and I don't know why they've chosen to make it one."
I suspect they are just trying things (anything) to reduce handpassing without banning it or forcing refs to to try and enforce it when its impossible to judge

The one I hate is the 2 points for a sideline. Sure, it's a skill, but its an individual skill and but do we want games becoming sideline contests?
You commit foul play, concede a free, and the jeopardy is one point. Ball deflects out of play and from the restart you have a 2 point jeopardy?
They move back the 65 to reduce scoring, but then add a point for sidelines
I really hope the trials put an end to it
As things stand with a single point you still get plenty of teams trying to score them, and plenty of teams passing.

Yadse (Limerick) - Posts: 290 - 18/09/2026 16:05:57    2694237

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Also on the sideline rule - it has the potential to only encourage fouling.

Say you're playing against a team that has somebody who's well capable of putting a sideline cut over the bar. An opponent is soloing up the field, just inside the sideline.

If you lamp him out of it, the punishment is a free that's potentially only worth one point. But cleanly knock the ball away from him and over the line, and suddenly you're facing a sideline cut that could see them put two points on the board.

As for the linesman thing - I seriously don't understand it unless the intention is for both linesmen to continue to cover the full length of the pitch, and the half of it that's closest to them. But is that not what they do already?

Otherwise, if it's to be soccer-style, with each linesman stopping at halfway -

Picture Croke Park. One linesman is to run the line on the Hogan Stand side, between the corner where it meets the Nally Terrace and halfway. The other linesman is to run the Cusack Stand side, from halfway to where it meets the Davin Stand.

Now something controversial happens at the corner where Hill 16 meets the Cusack. One linesman is the full width of the pitch away. The other is half the length of the pitch away. How are either of them supposed to reliably assist the referee?"
Ah sure they'll make it up as they go along.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2690 - 18/09/2026 17:34:51    2694254

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Also on the sideline rule - it has the potential to only encourage fouling.

Say you're playing against a team that has somebody who's well capable of putting a sideline cut over the bar. An opponent is soloing up the field, just inside the sideline.

If you lamp him out of it, the punishment is a free that's potentially only worth one point. But cleanly knock the ball away from him and over the line, and suddenly you're facing a sideline cut that could see them put two points on the board.

As for the linesman thing - I seriously don't understand it unless the intention is for both linesmen to continue to cover the full length of the pitch, and the half of it that's closest to them. But is that not what they do already?

Otherwise, if it's to be soccer-style, with each linesman stopping at halfway -

Picture Croke Park. One linesman is to run the line on the Hogan Stand side, between the corner where it meets the Nally Terrace and halfway. The other linesman is to run the Cusack Stand side, from halfway to where it meets the Davin Stand.

Now something controversial happens at the corner where Hill 16 meets the Cusack. One linesman is the full width of the pitch away. The other is half the length of the pitch away. How are either of them supposed to reliably assist the referee?"
As I said in an earlier post ,that's exactly right pikeman.
I don't want to be critical as a lot of work and time was put in by the committee who formulated the survey and then whittled it down to the most popular changes to the rules by the supporters before going to print.
Some new rules will remain but I can see the lines umpires ( as they want them to be called) covering half the pitch not going beyond the trials in the Fitsgibbon Cup.
The same goes for the 2 points for a line ball cut.
As I said before that was implemented years ago so I believe it would have a short life.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 742 - 19/09/2026 13:18:54    2694300

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Replying To Magpie2:  "As I said in an earlier post ,that's exactly right pikeman.
I don't want to be critical as a lot of work and time was put in by the committee who formulated the survey and then whittled it down to the most popular changes to the rules by the supporters before going to print.
Some new rules will remain but I can see the lines umpires ( as they want them to be called) covering half the pitch not going beyond the trials in the Fitsgibbon Cup.
The same goes for the 2 points for a line ball cut.
As I said before that was implemented years ago so I believe it would have a short life."
The 2 point side line cut has never been a rule. It has never even been trialled. It has been proposed and debated on at least 3 previous occasions but this will be the first trial of it. It was trialled in Camogie in 2012.
Those criticising it dont seem to understand how difficult it is. Most players probably shoot 10% . Most free takers shoot 90% plus so i dont see how fouling is better than giving away a line ball. Yes they will practise and get better but id doubt anyone gets beyond 33% success rate. Its that hard a skill to execute.
I think its the one rule that's worthwhile trialing. We currently have possession retention line balls. Short packs along ground that often end up in rucks. The pointed sideline cut is a thing of beauty. The one that Tony Kelly landed in Thurles to draw the Munster final a few years ago being exhibit A. That , thankfully, waa only worth 1 point but if wver a score waa worthy of 2 that is it. The pressure and execution wow. This is worth the trial just to bring more scores like that back to the game.
The whole handpass thing I am very sceptical about. Its going to cause so many more rucks and stoppages when the idea is supposed to be to make the game faster and more fluid. The brick flick is going to become really prominent very quickly. The data tells us that long balls surrender possession 75% of the time so that's not going to happen so expect lots of rucks and stoppages plus brick flicks.

The puckout one is a joke. A puckout is a restart. Thats all it is. All that is needed here is to ban the keepee from receiving the ball back immediately from the puckout.

The throw in doesnt bother me tbh.

The tackle or elimination of the tackle is mad. How can you defend now. Its going to create collisions. If you cant tackle with your arm( im not talking about pulling and dragging) you have to put your body on the line. Defenders aren't going to just let players run by them. Therefore we are going to have rugby like collisions. Add in the 6 steps and its guarenteed.

This smacks of a meeting or meetings where the agenda item is what to do about handpassing. They couldn't decided but they knew that the popular move is to throw some red meat to the masses. They only allow one handpass but then realise that the likely outcome is more rucks and stoppages. Rather than looking at it again they plough on someone declares that if we just give the ball carrier more steps then there will be less need to handpass. Great idea the rest say, that fixes that. Then someone else pipes up and says that there is no way that the defence will just let the ball carrier just run by them. So they ban tackling with the arm thinking that will fix that. Its just lazy thinking and analysis. It wont fix that. They took a sledge hammer to a peanut and it has no chance of surviving the trial.
All that was needed, and I saw it here first, is the introduction of the indirect free for all technical fouls including suspected throws and the simultaneous introduction of the tap/solo and go free. That would have solved it and sped up the game at the same time. Instead we get rugby with hurls.
As for the 65s. The clue is in the name.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 769 - 21/09/2026 20:46:27    2694550

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@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4156 - 22/09/2026 11:20:55    2694601

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html"
I remember being excited about it's potential for Adrian fenlon at the time. He was always putting them over

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4685 - 22/09/2026 13:34:18    2694640

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html"
Yes I remember it well been trialled that year during the league but was not used thereafter.
Don't know the reason why.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 742 - 22/09/2026 15:25:16    2694660

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I'll hope to get to some college games to see how these rules will work..I'd worry about the puck out,which could lead to huge amount of rucks in games..think it's a pity they didn't try and go for 4 points for a goal,it might have led to fellas trying to work goals instead of shooting from miles out and getting point after point..

I don't mind the 65 situation and now more ball might be contested closer to the goals..not sure of handpass,I'd maybe have tried 3 and then the Hurley has to be used..be interesting now to see how much the other officials help the ref in the course of the games..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2717 - 22/09/2026 23:35:08    2694721

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Replying To CTGAA10:  "I'll hope to get to some college games to see how these rules will work..I'd worry about the puck out,which could lead to huge amount of rucks in games..think it's a pity they didn't try and go for 4 points for a goal,it might have led to fellas trying to work goals instead of shooting from miles out and getting point after point..

I don't mind the 65 situation and now more ball might be contested closer to the goals..not sure of handpass,I'd maybe have tried 3 and then the Hurley has to be used..be interesting now to see how much the other officials help the ref in the course of the games.."
Sure if you cant tackle and the ball carrier can carry the ball for 6 steps at a time there are going to be loads of goals. Sure its going to be very difficult to stop unless they pack the defence like they did in football and im not sure how well that would work in hurling given how quickly it can transition from one end to the other.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 769 - 24/09/2026 11:28:17    2694884

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html"
I dont actually remember that trial. I googled it because I wasn't sure and it didnt show up in that search either. I stand corrected.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 769 - 24/09/2026 11:36:25    2694886

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html"
Having just read that article I think that the approach to the sideline cut has changed somewhat since then. A number of players were listed there as being proponents of the art but its rare that its attempted in the modern game. Its far more common to see a short one in an attempt to retain possession. Thats the current reality and that leads to rucks. Therefore the reward of 2 points is a carrot to reinvigorate an area or skill in the game that was diminishing just as the 2 point arc in football has revived long distance point scoring in that game.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 769 - 24/09/2026 11:46:22    2694890

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "
Replying To Pikeman96:  "@Tadhg2020 - two points for a score from a sideline cut was previously trialled during the National Hurling League in 2005.

But you're correct that there's been further talk of it on a number of occasions since then, and consideration of it in this piece from 2019 is still as valid now as it was then:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists/arid-30896205.html"
Having just read that article I think that the approach to the sideline cut has changed somewhat since then. A number of players were listed there as being proponents of the art but its rare that its attempted in the modern game. Its far more common to see a short one in an attempt to retain possession. Thats the current reality and that leads to rucks. Therefore the reward of 2 points is a carrot to reinvigorate an area or skill in the game that was diminishing just as the 2 point arc in football has revived long distance point scoring in that game."
We'll have to get Joe out of retirement if this comes in. Interestingly in the 2020 All-Ireland semi-final, we lost to Limerick by 3 points. We scored 5 sidelines that day, Joe with 4 and Fintan Burke with 1, after Joe had gone off injured. Those 5 extra points would have been nice for sure.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 3132 - 24/09/2026 12:35:04    2694895

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@Tadhg2020 - I've actually had a look at that Tony Kelly sideline cut that sent the 2022 Munster Final to extra time. The one where you even said yourself "thankfully it was only worth one point". It's on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZDPppu0O6E

Now, if that had been worth two points, would have been very hard on Barry Nash.

Do your job properly by getting to the ball first and turning to try make a clearance, and you end up forced over the sideline and concede something that would have been the losing of the game for your team.

But don't do your job properly. Be slow off the mark such that a Clare man gets to the ball first, and then haul him down out there to concede a free. Worst that can happen is one point to make you draw the game, rather than two points to make you lose it.

It's an extreme examaple, but it's an example all the same of where you'd end up better off to foul than play the game properly.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4156 - 24/09/2026 13:23:53    2694901

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Could end up like a bit of a mix of an American Football "special team" for field goals, and the Harlequins rugby "Bloodgate" controversy of a number of years ago.

Name a specialist sideline taker, even if it's a 40-year-old Joe Canning, in your subs. And whenever you get a sideline cut inside his range, have one of your players go down with a "blood injury". This is even a good time of year - coming up to Halloween - to be able to buy all sorts of fake blood products.

Bring on yer man as a temporary sub to let him stroke the sideline over the bar for two points, quickly wipe the "blood" off the other lad, and get him back into ordinary play as soon as you can.

Maybe I'm just being too devious :)

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4156 - 24/09/2026 14:19:32    2694906

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