Five football trends in new rules compared 12 months ago

Close to the halfway mark of the National Football League, what trends in the new rules are we seeing compared to the same point a year ago? Here are five...

Kerry led by 12 points against Galway on Saturday but the game ended up as a draw. The cocktail of strong winds with the kick-out and two-point changes continue to make the outcome of games far more unpredictable. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Significantly smaller winning margins

The average winning margin is now just over 4.16 points in contrast to 6.2 after three rounds last year. The difference between teams at the final whistle has come down in all four divisions but none more so than Division 3 where it has diminished from an average of 10.08 points to 4.5.