'Mark' given the green light at Congress

Passed today at Congress. With Feely, Moolick, Flynn etc. should be positive for Kildare

A motion to introduce a 'mark' into gaelic football has been passed at Annual Congress in Carlow today.

In what is a radical change to the playing rules, motion 41 was passed with 68% of the votes and it reads: “When a player catches the ball cleanly from a Kick-Out without it touching the ground, on or past the 45m line nearest the KickOut point, he shall be awarded ‘a Mark’ by the Referee. The player awarded a ‘Mark’ shall have the options of (a) Taking a free kick or (b) Playing on immediately.

The following procedures shall apply:

(a) A Free Kick

The player shall signify to the Referee that he is availing of and then take the free kick himself from the hand from the point where he was awarded the ‘Mark’.

Once the player indicates he is taking the ‘Mark’ the Referee will allow up to five seconds for the player to take the kick. If the player delays longer than five seconds the Referee will cancel the ‘Mark’ and throw in the ball between a player from each side. Once the player indicates he is taking the ‘Mark’, the opposing players must retreat 10m to allow the player space to take the kick. If an opposition player deliberately blocks or attempts to block the kick within 10m, or if an opposition player impedes the player while he is taking the kick, the Referee shall penalise the opposition by bringing the ball forward 13m.

If the Referee determines that the player who makes the ‘Mark’ has been injured in the process and is unable to take the kick, the Referee shall direct the Player’s nearest team mate to take the kick but he may not score directly from the kick.

(b) Play on immediately

(i) In this circumstance the player may not be challenged for the ball until he carries the ball up to a maximum of four consecutive steps or holds the ball for no longer than the time needed to take four steps and/or makes one act of kicking, hand passing, bouncing or toe-tapping the ball.
(ii) If he is illegally challenged, a free kick shall be awarded to his team from the point at which the challenge is made, and this free kick may be taken by any player on his team."

When does this rule come into effect, is it this weekend?

topcat wrote:

When does this rule come into effect, is it this weekend?

Yeah - they were practising out in Hawkfield this afternoon

From the start of 2017

Should be a good rule change . It seemed to work well in the minor match last week against westmeath.

I'm all for it as well. Those who think it will slow up the game answer this - how many times does a player catch a long kick out and get swallowed up by an opposition swarm as soon as he lands, often giving away a free for over-carrying. Surely that slows up the game more and rewards the wrong "skill". Fancy our midfield and middle players in general to benefit from this next year.

Wouldn't be surprised if this rule change doesn't do what it is intended to do which is bring back the clean catch at a contested kickout. Teams will now just crowd the area around the 45 to ensure they don't give up that clean catch so we will see a lot more short kickouts.

That is my fear about it, it could work brilliantly but I have my doubts.

Teams that don't have high fielders and do have good coaches will have plans for it. People will complain at their temerity. Hopefully it doesn't slow down the game but we all love the speccy catch, so I hope it does work. Michael Darragh Macauley isn't too impressed and neither is Ciaran Whelan - but then the Dubs like to move it quickly and don't kick it down the middle.

I wish they'd leave the bloody rules alone. In what other sport does this constant tinkering go on?

Rugby

Taibi I agree with you. We should be looking to make the game more simple, not more complicated.

Anything that slows the game down is a win for mass defence. So Player A takes a catch from his kick-out 55m from goal. Opposition player prevents him taking it quickly. Even if this is punished by ball being brought forward, it's more time wasted. Entire process would take 10-15 seconds. More than enough time for the team that lost the kick-out to park the bus.

I've a few questions about the need to constantly change the rules.
1. What is wrong with football on the field when played between graded teams of equal quality, thus yearly need to change it?
2. Why is high fielding a more valued skill than say blocking?
3. Is it actually down because no one bothers measuring? Reminds me of idea that purists Galway beat hand-passing Kildare in 1998 final when they hand-passed more; or Donegal ruined football when last six championships are the only ones averaging more than 30 points per game while five of six highest scoring leagues ever in that time too.
4. How will this help high fielding anyway, given a trial started two weeks before the vote in a pre-season provincial competition for kids at a grade the same Congress don't even deem worthy of keeping?

Congress can answer none of that, measure none of that, and still tinker with a game that has serious problems off the field it never addresses. My belief is it comes from a large section of forceful and nostalgic commentators who have the attitude "the game was better in my day". I'd urge them to watch what they judge all modern problems they invent in football against, namely Dublin-Kerry through the 1970s. I hate to tell them but what we have now doesn't thankfully resemble that tripe. Look at the weekend, when teams were of similar calibre - Dublin-Monaghan was brilliant, Mayo-Donegal a superb scrap, Roscommon remarkable, Cavan-Meath I'm told intense and exciting, Galway playing good football with young team. Sure our game not of that standard or entertainment but it's Division 3 so what do you expect.

Leave the game alone and let it evolve naturally and go fix the real problems that Congress ran from like championship structure, Dublin money, club exclusion!

Totally agree Tommy - Dublin-Monaghan was an outstanding game.

There is this myth - probably propped in large part of the constant whining of Spillane, O'Rourke, Brolly et al - that the game is on its last legs.

It doesn't stack up. Dublin-Mayo bought a full-house to Croke Park last year for a superb game. And then for the replay - another 80,000 sell-out and the hottest ticket in the country that weekend along with Electric Picnic.

As you say, stop all this pointless tinkering and start addressing some of the real problems we have!

Couldn't agree more or put it better TK.

I agree with a lot of you post Tommy except it used to drive me mad when you see a great pice of high fielding and next thing 3 or 4 lads get around the opponent and he's done for over carrying. So in actual fact your penalised for carrying out a skill.

yeah good point jim,not sure what all the fuss is about really...it's a win win for the high fielder (one of the greatest skills of the game)....

TK i agree with most of your post...congress have a lot to answer for indeed....but any rule change needs some sort of trial run ???