Why Gaelic football's rule changes may not all be a Special Congress fait accompli

Without Jim Gavin assuring Special Congress delegates that Gaelic football's new rules should become permanent, there is a fear that some may fall by the wayside.

There are those in the GAA leadership who are uneasy about the hoopla the presence of presidential candidate Jim Gavin could cause at this Saturday at Special Congress. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Judging by the general bonhomie around Gaelic football’s imminent rule changes, it would appear this latest Special Congress in Croke Park will be a seamless affair.

The powers-that-be may be thinking that way too. The clár of the day has debate scheduled to commence at 10.40am and conclude before lunch at 1pm. That is in spite of a hefty list of 62 motions.

In truth, some of the proposals will be grouped and the GAA have probably made their estimation based on last November’s Special Congress when all of the Football Review Committee’s (FRC) experimental rule alterations were voted in well before 1pm.

However, on that occasion, there were 49 motions. What’s more, delegates weren’t asked to set them in stone as they are on this occasion and doubts persist FRC chairman Jim Gavin, who is obviously in the midst of a presidential campaign, will be presenting the motions as he did 11 months ago.

At Tuesday evening’s online motions briefing, Gavin was not a contributor. Instead, secretary and former Meath captain Seamus Kenny introduced the motions. He was followed by fellow FRC members including Colm Nally, Éamonn Fitzmaurice, Patrick Doherty and Maurice Deegan.

Few on the FRC expected all of their proposals to be accepted last year but Gavin was a major influence in convincing the room that they were worth a try. Without him assuring them that they should become permanent fixtures in the game, there is a fear that some may fall by the wayside.

Despite the platform it would give Gavin in a party political election, there is support for him in Croke Park to reclaim the reins and finish what he set out to do 17 months ago. It would also likely give him a much-needed win after a week of unfortunate promotional errors.

But there are those in the GAA leadership who are uneasy about the hoopla his presence would create and the perception of the organisation’s tacit support in his race for the Áras. Besides, both he and Fianna Fáil might want to avoid running the risk of compromising the GAA’s non-party political rule after his team were forced to delete a photograph of Gavin and Defence Forces Chief Rossa Mulcahy from his social media campaign platforms.

Before that online briefing earlier this week, counties were requested to put in writing their questions about the FRC’s recommended changes. In some counties, it was viewed as a cynical attempt to ensure Saturday will run as smoothly as possible without too many dissenting voices.

A few counties chose not to put their questions and comments to the FRC in that forum. Instead, they will air them from the floor of Special Congress as they say has long been the case.

Tuesday was the second time since July that the FRC have attempted to gauge the opinion of counties. Three months ago, they requested feedback on the changes but that too was viewed as simply a means of sizing up the opposition.

Derry, Laois, Longford and Tyrone expressed reservations about some of the changes. From concerns about the logistical and operational challenges around the clock-hooter to the lack of clean catches won because of the kick-out rule to the unworkability of the four back, three up rule at club level, the FRC acknowledged their contributions but little or none of the feedback was accepted.

As one county board official said, “The FRC can say they have engaged with counties but unless you listen, you’re only ticking a box.” The greater impact of the weather on games because of the new rules has also been raised by a couple of counties. There is anecdotal evidence of clubs changing their team line-ups before throw-in based on whether they will be playing with or without the wind in the first half.

What former Derry manager and new Mayo coach Paddy Tally described as “a scrub year” because of the new rules is an opinion shared by some counties who baulk at claims that the game has been saved. It is only now when the dust settles and the rules become concrete that minds will focus on how to game the new system.

Earlier this week, Wicklow manager Oisín McConville spoke to this newspaper about inter-county figures who believe they have ways of controlling the game in 2026. That has become apparent in some club games where teams, in lieu of the three men they have to keep in the other half and often numerically disadvantaged by the other team, have flooded the arc because genuine two-point kickers are scarcer. At inter-county level, how much does the option of two points lend to recycled attacks?

That the new rules did nothing for the quality of games once the championship moved to Croke Park in July is a fact that has not been explained. The drop-off between some of the provincial and group matches and those in GAA HQ was felt by everybody to the point that some of the novelty had worn off.

In fairness, many questions have been answered by the FRC but few prayers. Healers they are, but to deem them saviours is pushing it.