Cody not keen on proposed new rules

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, that’s the message from Brian Cody to the GAA authorities, as yet another raft of experimental rules are proposed for the upcoming National Hurling League.

Speaking yesterday in Madrid, where the hurling All-Stars were on an extended stopover en route to their final destination of Buenos Aires, the record-setting Kilkenny manager wasn’t at all impressed with the new proposals. “I don’t think we needed any change. Not being able to throw the ball forward – it’s going to be difficult to police that, that’s the style a lot of free-takers prefer, step forward into the free. The square ball is the most interesting one, that’s going to take away the controversy about whether a forward was or was not in the square before the ball. The backs are going to have to be a lot more vigilant in policing the square area as regards forwards lurking around there.”

Might bring back some of the old-style shemozzles in and around the kitchen? “Maybe – one time a forward could be in there but the back was able to keep him out physically, now he won’t have that advantage, being able to drive his man out of the square. I don’t have a problem with (trying) it, but a lot of the time I think people are changing things just for the sake of changing. I don’t think the game needs anything; look at the two major competitions this year, the league final and the All-Ireland final, two outstanding games – why would you want to change anything when it can be played like that? Change wouldn’t be on my agenda, to be honest.”