A whole new ball game: a potted guide to Gaelic Football's new rules

The new era will throw in this weekend. 

The GAA Football Review Committee members, back row, from left, James Horan, Michael Meaney, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Patrick Doherty, Shane Flanagan, Malachy O'Rourke and Alec McQuillan, front row, from left, Colm Nally, Michael Murphy, Colm Collins, chairperson Jim Gavin, and Seamus Kenny after a briefing at Croke Park Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

At last week’s Football Review Committee (FRC) briefing to the Sports Law Bar Association of Ireland, the body’s chairman Jim Gavin revealed he would be attending the Leitrim-Laois Division 4 game in Ballinamore this Saturday.

Why? Throwing in at 2.30pm, it’s the very first competitive game under the new rules. He may have time to fit in another game that day, be it in Omagh or Croke Park, but he feels it is important to effectively smash the champagne glass on the good ship FRC.

For those watching at home, the repeat of last year’s All-Ireland SFC final between Galway and Armagh in Pearse Stadium (5.15pm, throw-in) will be their first taste of the changes with something at stake.

What they should be looking out for? Under five, hopefully easy-to-understand headings, here’s a potted breakdown of the rules:

The lines on the pitch 

There are three new linings on the football pitch. The first, a dashed one demarcating the halfway line has been painted to signify to the officials that each team is keeping three outfield players in each half at all times as part of the new three-v-three rule. Punishment for a breach is a free from the 20-metre line and unlike dissent/delay/challenging a solo-and-go frees there is no room for variation, i.e. moving the ball out the field for a two-point free attempt. The midway line is also where each half will begin with one player from each team as opposed to two contesting the throw-in (the other two midfielders will be stationed on opposite sidelines). The two other new linings are arcs, one drawn 40m away from each goal. A score on or outside that arc from play, a free or sideline (but not a 45) that goes over the bar without being touched is worth two points and a new orange flag is raised to confirm that. The kick-out must also clear the 40m arc. Only inside the large rectangle in his half of the field can a goalkeeper receive a pass from a team-mate who must also be in that area (he is free to take a pass in the opposing half). Inside the 20m lines, the updated advanced mark can be taken. Providing the ball has been kicked from outside the 45m line, the catching forward can play on for a goal chance knowing that if it comes to nothing the ball comes back for a mark/free.

Player to player 

A player who has committed a foul and does not hand the ball back to his closest opponent will see the free brought forward 50m but not passed their own 13m line. The punishment applies for any sort of deliberate delay. The black card suite of cynical fouls has been extended to include holding up an opponent from moving or playing the ball. Also, a player who involves himself in a row between two players with the intention of doing anything other than pulling his team-mate away will incur a black card.

Player to match official to player 

Only a captain or a nominated player can clarify decisions with a referee. Dissent is a 50m advancement of a free. The opposing team can chose to take the resultant free from outside the 40m arc for a two-point attempt should they choose. In the case of a team official, a free from the 13m line is awarded with the same option of bringing the ball out to the 40m arc. The advantage rule is now applied at the referee’s discretion and not five seconds as before.

Solo-and-go 

Arguably the most popular/least offensive of all the rule changes and a suggestion made by Dessie Farrell 13 years ago, a player can choose to take a quick free between the 20m lines by toe-tapping the ball to himself but they are not permitted to play the ball backwards. That player can’t be challenged for four metres otherwise a free will be rewarded 50m higher up the field as far as the 13m line.

Clock 

The countdown clock was passed at Special Congress in November but the clock/hooter will only apply to Division 1 games the first two weekends. What’s more, the clock will count up. The referee will signal a new clock official to halt the time for stoppages such as injuries and substitutions. The 10 minutes a player spends in a sin bin will also pause for such breaks.