GAA’s Games Intelligence Unit now operational for hurling and Gaelic football

Among other things, the GIU supplied data and video analysis to inter-county referees to help them review their performance

The GAA want to establish the GIU as a permanent unit within the association. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The GAA’s Games Intelligence Unit (GIU) is now operational with the first report expected after the league concludes.

In 2025, the GIU provided data and statistical analysis for the Football Review Committee (FRC) as they monitored the impact of the new rules. It was led by Johnny Bradley in conjunction with SETU Carlow. It is understood Bradley is involved once more for 2026.

In their final report, the FRC recommended the GIU be established as a permanent unit within the Association.

The GIU also supplied data and video analysis to inter-county referees to help them review their performance and strengthened collaboration within the Performance Analysis community through shared video footage. It was the most detailed analysis of an inter-county senior season ever undertaken by the GAA.

Football and hurling matches will be analysed this year. The Hurling Development Committee (HDC) have sought this analysis in a bid to fully understand the game’s trends, particularly around the number of handpasses and rucks.

The GIU project lead is Johnny Bradley, a highly-regarded analyst who is also the Programme Director for the MSc in Sports Performance Analysis at SETU.

As well as the removal of the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, the HDC have already recommended a sterner dissent rule, similar to the one that has been introduced to Gaelic football. Players who show dissent to referees could see a free advanced by 30 metres if the suggestion is adopted.

In total there will be four or five reports in 2026. They are due to be released mid-provincial championships, at the end of the provincials, after the All-Ireland quarter-finals, after the Joe McDonagh Cup, Nicky Rackard Cup and Lory Meagher Cup finals and at the end of the inter-county championship.

Writing in his 2025 Annual Report, GAA Director General Tom Ryan stressed the importance of the unit.

“Objective data analysis by the Games Intelligence Unit (GIU), and the support of the performance analyst community was central to the success of the rules project. We plan to build on this success by embedding the GIU in our decision making and communications processes.

“Sharing the rich information at our disposal can only advance our games, offering a deeper insight to supporters and underpinning coach and referee education.

“The positive football experience this year may well inform our thinking for hurling in the future."