Cusack: Handpass proposal addresses symptom, not cause

The thorny issue of policing the handpass in hurling would be made easier for officials if the tackle was more clearly defined, according to RTÉ analyst Dónal Óg Cusack.

Last weekend saw a litany of examples of referees calling foul on handpasses during various Allianz League fixtures.

League Sunday looked at a number of these, with referee John Keenan punishing Galway's Gearoid McInerney against Wexford, while Seán Stack awarded five frees for the offence in the Cork/Limerick game alone.

Officials are blowing if there is any doubt over clear contact in the striking action in the pass.

Hand pass or throw? Have referees started coming down harder on hand passes in this year's League? #RTEGAA #AllianzLeagueSunday pic.twitter.com/8MXLOCG6cr

Two-time All-Ireland winner with Tipperary Conor O’Donovan has called the current handpass rule "unenforceable and unimplementable" and has described it as a malaise in the game.

O’Donovan has proposed a rule where players would not be permitted to throw and strike the sliotar with the same hand, forcing them to swap hurley in the execution of the handpass.

Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, Cusack welcomed the innovation given how the game has developed in recent years, but feels it doesn't adequaterly address the most pressing concern.

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences "I love to see lads thinking outside the box. A player swapping hands is a hard thing to do," he said.

"If you go back to Gearoid McInerney’s handpass last Sunday, he was bottled up, players are tackling like it’s a