Heavier sliotar would remove need for rule changes, argues Adrian Ronan

He is positive about insisting on a strike with the hurl after two hand-passes, for example, arguing that 'if you want to play basketball, go off and play basketball'.

The two-time All-Ireland winner does have concerns, however, about 'too many changes happening at the one time'.

Speaking on The KCLR Hurling Podcast, he argued that if they'd simply considered adding some extra weight to the ball, it would have reduced the need for some of the other rule amendments around puck outs and where 65s should be taken from.

"I think it's too much, on a personal level," said Ronan of the amount of recommendations. "And I feel that maybe one thing that wasn't mentioned, and could have been mentioned, and should have been mentioned, is the weight of the sliotar and the size of the sliotar.

"I think that would have ruled out a lot of the issues that we have regarding puckouts and line balls and handpasses and different things."

One of the recommendations which has come from HEAG Chair John Meyler is that puckouts must travel at least 45 metres. As part of this, a minimum of three players from each team must remain between the 20 and 45m lines.

"This might go back to the weight of the ball," continued Ronan. "Years ago, the ball only landed in the middle of the field because we had a different sliotar, a different size. So it was a more entertaining game, midfield was more involved.

"Midfield is now nearly extinct, you're a link player in there, linking with your backs, or with your forwards, because the ball doesn't land in the middle of the field, it isn't contested there. So it's a different role from over the years when people like the great Frank Cummins, great warriors, played in the middle of the field."

There are 24 amendments in total which are being included in the trials, including that 65s are to be taken from the 65m line closest to your own goal, adding significant yardage.

Again, Ronan said that a heavier ball would answer the problem of 65s being too easy to score.

"I think if you change the weight of the sliotar, that would rule out (that issue)," he said. "It would involve more combat and more contact generally, and less reason for rule changes. But that's not going to change because it's not on the agenda."

Under the trials, the power of line umpires will be extended to provide assistance to refs.

"For the referees locally, and everywhere, and they'll love me for saying this, and others will hate me for this, but I think their fees need to increase," said Ronan.

"In the age that we're in, a referee gets 50 quid - for the abuse that he gets, it's very little money, 50 quid. I don't know what people want in a referee but I think they have to pay them properly and maybe increase their fees.

"For me, 50 quid to get abuse, I would change that, to help the game. There's a lot of people getting a lot of money, we know that, inside and out of the game, there's a lot of people getting paid. Referees should be getting more money I think."

On the limit to two handpasses in a row, Ronan said he likes the idea but isn't sure how workable it is.

"Was it the first handpass, was it the second handpass, was it the third one? It'll be difficult (to know) but it's welcome because I think there's too much handpassing, it's turned into a bit of basketball."

Ronan was more concerned about extending the four-step rule to six.

"That could turn into eight steps very easily and now all of a sudden you're playing rugby," he cautioned. "You can't wrap your arms around a man either (in another amendment) - so now we're playing basketball. The line ball I like, two points if you get it over the bar. That's a skill. 

"The other side of that is that if you have a specialised line-ball player who could be a wing back, it's going to take him 10, 20, 30 seconds to come and take it, which slows down the game. So there's arguments for and against all of these."