Canavan: Too many trial rules for football referees

This weekend will see a number of trial games taking place throughout the country as the Football Review Committee (FRC) looks to enhance and improve Gaelic football.

Led by Jim Gavin, the group has met 19 times since February's Congress with a clear goal; to improve the spectacle of the sport.

The group cannot be faulted for effort. It has consulted with GAA management, central council, provincial councils, referees, the GAA’s Standing Committee on Playing Rules and county board chairs. A public survey has drawn more than 5,000 responses.

After consulting with the stakeholders, a number of 'sandbox’ (a concept taken from software development) games, starting in Mullingar on Saturday and continuing in Claremorris, Portlaoise, Armagh and Limerick later in the month, will take place involving inter-county players whose teams have dropped out of the championship.

Trial rules include two points for a 'point' from the new 40-metre arc and four points for a goal are the marquee proposals, one-v-one at throw-ins, kick-out variations, both teams keeping three players, including the ’keeper, inside their own 65-metre line to name just a few.

Speaking on this week’s RTÉ GAA podcast, Peter Canavan said that while he acknowledges the work carried out by the FRC, he is concerned at the sheer volume of trial rules that referees must master.

"I think there’s too much on the table for these games," he said.