Rule trials may be extended as far as October with feedback aiding FRC

Former Meath, Louth and Kildare senior football coach Colm Nally says that player feedback to proposed new Gaelic football changes has been instrumental in the Football Review Committee's trial process.

Nally is part of the FRC, chaired by Jim Gavin, who are currently in the midst of running the most radical set of rule trials that Gaelic football has seen.

The trials include a 40-metre scoring arc allowing two points for a score beyond that arc, four points for a goal, a revised advanced mark and a limit of three players in the opposition half at all times are being monitored.

After an exhaustive consultation process which is still running and garnered 7,000 public survey replies, along with meetings with provincial councils, Central Council, referees and other stakeholders, the FRC is currently running trials, called 'Sandbox games’ until the end of this month.

Already games have taken place in Mullingar (15 June) and Claremorris (22 June).

Last weekend, Celbridge took on Castleknock in a challenge game played under a selection of proposed new rules at Abbotstown.

That match was divided into four quarters and saw the advanced mark under specific scrutiny.

Nally says the feedback from players was both immediate and thought-provoking.

"Defensive players saw our proposed tweaks to the advanced mark and wondered if there were any provisions for the defence minded players so it’s feedback on the fly and it’s brilliant," he said.

"By now we have had 7,000 responses to our survey with over 5,000 offering additional feedback so the enthusiasm has been huge all round," he added.

Further rounds will take place in Armagh (6 July) and Limerick (20 July).

The FRC’s plan is to study the data, trends, feedback and reaction to a number of rule