Paul Earley believes ‘mark’ can resurrect the art of high fielding

Former International Rules manager Paul Earley says the introduction of the mark from a kickout can curb the number of hand-passes and resurrect the high-fielding midfielder.

Introduced to the hybrid game last year, the rule allowing players to call a mark upon catching the ball beyond the 45 metre line is to be trialled in the Sigerson Cup with a mind to being proposed at Congress in February.

Earley was a member of the Eugene McGee-chaired Football Review Committee (FRC) whose 2013 motion to implement the same initiative failed by just 1% to reach the required 66% support from Congress delegates.

Now that the Jarlath Burns-led playing rules committee have revived it, Earley is just as convinced the measure can benefit the game both quality-wise and aesthetically.

“I can see it eliminate a lot of the hand-passing in the game at the moment and can lead to great high fielding,” said the ex-Roscommon player.

“The art of high-fielding has been in decline and when we (FRC) conducted the public survey it was the thing more than anything people want to see in the game (the majority of respondents chose catching as the skill they most liked about Gaelic football).

“You look at Dublin now and about 90% of their kick-outs are short. The game could theoretically develop into one when you don’t need players who are 6ft 3in, 6’4”. It’s probably a liability to the game that teams are allowed to continue to kick short so much. The public have articulated what they want to see.”

Initially, Earley had some reservations about kickouts having to clear the 45-metre line and how it might overcrowd the area but he has seen enough of it in operation in International Rules to allay his fears.

One of the major criticisms of the mark is how it might contribute to more of a stop-start nature in Gaelic football, allowing the opposing team the opportunity to get behind the ball. But Earley counters both points.

“You have the option of playing on and not taking the mark if you so wish. As we have seen in International Rules, you can step back and kick the ball and that happens fairly quickly.

“At the moment, when a player rises to catch a ball and he’s surrounded by two or three of the opposing team he is usually given the benefit of the doubt from the referee and a foul is called so there is a stoppage anyway. I wouldn’t subscribe to the idea it will slow up the game. If anything, it’s going to speed up the game.

“The naysayers will say the mark will promote more breaking ball but I think that’s bull.

“It will, in fact, encourage more players to catch the ball and you will see more of an emphasis in training and from coaches on trying to win clean ball.”