Dean Rock: Stephen Cluxton will take new kicking rules in his stride

Dean Rock envisages Stephen Cluxton will take the new 20-metre kick-out rule in his stride when All-Ireland champions Dublin begin their 2018 season next month.

Despite opposition from Dublin at Special Congress in October, delegates voted to introduce a rule that all restarts must pass the 20m line. Kick-outs already had to be at least 13m in length.

Cluxton is known for his quick, short restarts and it had been interpreted in some quarters of the capital that the recommendation from the playing rules committee was aimed at negating the strength in his play. At Special Congress, Dublin delegate Mick Seavers argued that the proposal would limit the amount of space a goalkeeper would have to kick into.