'It is the cleanest' - James Horan on the small window to change or amend new rules

The FRC's proposed changes were strongly backed at Croke Park on Saturday.

GAA Football Review Committee chairperson Jim Gavin, with Éamonn Fitzmaurice and Colm Collins, and Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

While the new Gaelic football rules can be rescinded or amended at any time, the ideal window is between the league and championship, according to Football Review Committee member James Horan.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, Horan said a part of the support for the universal implementation of their proposals was the fact that they can be tweaked throughout 2025.

“What we have been saying as an FRC, we have tried to design these as best we can. We are the first to admit we don’t know exactly how they will go when pressure is added in through a national competition. We had a failsafe, after the National League, there are changes that we can propose and that can be made. There are changes that can be made by Central Council at any stage. I think that absolutely did give people assurance.” A training protocol is already in place for intercounty referees and coaches. While last weekend was a remarkable backing, former Mayo manager Horan said they expect criticism to come once competitions begin.

“After the first two games of the National League… I remember being a manager and losing the first two games. You are not a very happy man and if rules and referee decisions cost you or you felt cost you, you can imagine where the conversation will go. Very quickly it could take a life of its own. There were several meetings today on how we will develop coaching manuals for intercounty coaches, the training module for referees, there will be web sessions, there will be face-to-faces, roadshows, we are doing an awful lot of that with people involved in the games.” Central Council can rescind or amend any rule change upon a motion submitted by the Management Committee or at the request of the Standing Committee on Playing Rules or the Rules Advisory Committee. However, changes during the league or championship will likely prove controversial.

There is a precedent for having certain trials in the league but not applying the same to championship. In 2019, Central Council agreed that four proposed rules around the black card, kickouts, sideline kicks and forward mark would be trailed in the league. The trials were not part of the 2019 championship and were approved at a Special Congress later that year.

It leaves a short window between the league and championship for significant adaptions. There is a one-week gap between the League finals at the end of March and the start of the 2025 championship.

“I think it is the cleanest,” said Horan.

“It is the fairest, if you are making changes ideally it would be then. There might be some minor changes that wouldn’t have a significant impact, the hooter or something. But certainly, the main ones that could impact the result of a game, you’d have to think it has to be that break between the two competitions to keep the integrity of both.”