FRC to recommend six amendments to new rules

It looks likely that the Football Review Committee (FRC) will recommend six amendments to the Rules Enhancements that were brought in for the start of the National Football Leagues.

Following planned reviews of the rules after round five of the leagues the FRC briefed the GAA's Management Committee on their proposals on Thursday and they will be voted on next Thursday (13th March) at a remote Central Council meeting.

It is believed that the 'keeping three up' rule will be expanded to keeping four back. Meaning that if a goalkeeper opts to venture forward into the opposition half then four of his team mates must remain in their own half of the field.

It was also felt that the punishment for unintentional, marginal or accidental breaches of the newly proposed 'four back, three up' rule was too harsh. Players who stray up to four metres across the halfway line or are not interfering with play will not be punished.

The anomaly surrounding team numbers being reduced because of black or red cards and being allowed to still defend with 12 has been addressed. Now if a team has a player sent from the field by the referee the team must still keep three players up at all times.

It is also expected that the hooter/clock will remain and that the kickouts will still have to travel outside the 40-metre arc.

The six proposed amendments are

- A player who claims a kick-out mark can play on immediately and not be challenged for four metres. If the player is illegally challenged in that space, a free kick shall be awarded 50 metres more advantageous than the position of the original mark up to the opponents’ 13m line. There is also the option of bringing it back for a two-point free attempt outside the 40m arc.

- An advantage has accrued if a point or a goal is scored. If no advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the mark, the referee will signal “no advantage gained” and the ball will be taken back to the point of the mark;

- A team must have at least four players in their half of the field, which may include the goalkeeper, and at least three outfield players in the opposition half. A breach of this rule does not occur when it has been unintentional, the player(s) are within four metres of the halfway line, are not interfering with play or with an opponent or not gaining an advantage.

- The removal of the word “directly” from the definition of a two-point score being played “over the bar between the posts… kicked by a player who has at least one foot on or outside the 40m arc and without the ball having been touched by another player”.

- The removal of the three-up wording as four are now required to remain in own half and three in the opposition’s.

- A misconduct at games infraction by a team official to cost their team a 20m free as opposed to a 13m free and the free can be brought out to the 40m arc for a two-point attempt.