Kerry legend Pat Spillane believes that Jim Gavin's Football Review Committee has missed a trick by not changing two key aspects of Gaelic football, despite the other changes that have been agreed upon.
Gaelic football will see several rule changes implemented, including 1v1 throw-ins, kickouts, and goalkeeper backpasses, among others.
The sport will finally see a revamp that many have been calling for, and many will be happy with the changes. However, former Kerry player Spillane believes that the hand pass and the tackle should have been looked at.
Firstly, Spillane addressed the handpass rule.
"Yes, you’ve guessed it: hand-passing, or, should that read, the overuse of hand-passing?" said Spillane in his column for the Sunday World.
"In 2011, the All-Ireland senior football championship averaged 250 hand-passes per game; this year, it had risen to 450. Unfortunately, the FRC has chosen not to amend the hand-passing rule.
output:General View of Gaelic FootballMandatory Credit ©INPHO/Andrew Paton
"When teams are trying to close out a game, my fear is that we will still be subject to more of the same—boring keep-ball, retention, retention, and more retention. I hope I am wrong."
Spillane also went on to explain his issue with tactical fouling. He believes that it will still go unpunished by referees and that this needs to be addressed.
"Well, here’s my two cents worth. The swarm tackling and tactical fouling, which were so rampant in the two club finals last weekend, will still go unpunished," he added. "Referees will still take the handy cop-out when a player is being belted in possession and surrounded by other players before he is blown for over-carrying. That whole grey area around tackling, what is and what is not allowed, has not been addressed."
Nevertheless, let's wait and see if the rules do make a difference to the game. It's an interesting opinion all the same.
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