Changes in the GAA - super thread

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

That would be a waste of money. Who do you get to train these referees. How many referees do you train and that wouldnt help the game. You would be far better investing that money into refs at all levels and improving all refereeing and doing more to help refereeing at lower levels as then the refs will have better habits and experiences to help them as they progress to higher levels.

I agree, consistency is required throughout.
But I do think if you are going to push players towards the boundaries (if not over in some notable cases) of professionalism, then you have to up the standard and consistency of refereeing.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

The standard of referee's isnt really the issue. Its how they are treated at all levels and the rule book which are far more of a concern IMO. I would look to change them to help improve things first

No point having rules if they are implemented differently in Omagh to how they are implemented in Croke Park.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

is there? Look at other sports. plenty of laws in rugby are treated differently at pro level compared to amatuer.

and?

I think it is a bad enough problem at inter county level to have some money spent on it.

Not really interested in a 'look over there, everything is alright jack' type of debate tbh.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Who is saying everythings alright?

I voice a problem I see (not alone in seeing either) and you tell me to look over there at other sports and rugby in support of your earlier point that spending some money attempting to harmonise referring decisions would be 'a waste of money'.

I'd like to see something like VAR brought in for goals/penalties and sending offs.
While Hawk-Eye has been a success, dodgy goals and sending offs have much more impact on the course of a game
e.g. Waterford v Tipp this year.
Aylwards goal v Galway
and I am sure there are plenty of others.

I think football is at a cross roads..Hurling is so popular because the speed the ball can travel up and down the field,Can any rule be brought in to speed up football?

Only allowed 4 passes until you are in opposition 45? Backcourt rule?

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Getting ex players would be good but isnt be all end all some see it as.

What would you see as a proper respect campaign?

Ex Players i think would help the respect issue as they would be respected more as individuals

I would also like the following implemented

1.Referee's to issue cards for abuse of officials and be very strict on it

2.Clubs to be fined for any player or management who are booked/Sent off for abusing officials

3.Sunday Game could also have a referee to explain decisions

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

After referees do the initial course to become a referee what other training do they get?
In rugby referees have monthly meetings to discuss laws/issues in the game that will have arisen. Looking at video clips of incidentas

To my knowledge all ref's on the intercounty panel for championship have regular meetings to review performance

Prop Joe wrote: »

Ex Players i think would help the respect issue as they would be respected more as individuals

I would also like the following implemented

1.Referee's to issue cards for abuse of officials and be very strict on it

2.Clubs to be fined for any player or management who are booked/Sent off for abusing officials

3.Sunday Game could also have a referee to explain decisions

I dont think ex players would help the respect issue. They hmay have been respected when they played but that goes out window with many who do ref.
I think any ref abuse needs to be sanctioned but you need to adapt the rule book to really help referees. Many rules should be changed/got rid of to really improve the game.
Sunday Game doesnt really need a ref on to explain decisions. Only on the days when there was game changing/altering decisions made.

To my knowledge all ref's on the intercounty panel for championship have regular meetings to review performance

It needs to be all refs at all levels meeting monthly(or more regularly) to discuss rules and incidents that occured in their games and review video clips on issues that they need to work on.

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

I really like that one - I know one of the rugby shows on BT does it and has a referee in to explain things. Would help a lot of the misunderstanding by people in the stands as well as for players.

Interesting line from an article written by Brian Galvin regarding umpires

"Umpires haven’t been brought in by Croke Park for coaching or advice and that is a mystery when it’s been a tough summer for them, especially in hurling"

Waterford-Tipp game on the 8th of July - umpire waved the ball as a point, Hawkeye over-ruled, with many comment's being made about umpires who are friends or acquaintances of the referee. In this case it was actually a referee who made the incorrect decision.

I do think the GAA need to provide specific training - I've umpired quite a few games, including some county finals, and while it is easier to see a football, a sliotar is harder to see, especially when there is little room behind the goalposts to be able to position yourself to be able to see it.

Yeah Rugby Tonight has a referee explaining the odd decision but the pundits in rugby are far better/rational at discussing referees first.
I would concentrate on whatever training all officials get. It needs to start at the lowest levels to improve referees in the long term not look for improvements straight away. There is ref recruitment officers and administers in each county but surely there needs to be development officers who are former/current top level refs and can teach refs about game management, rules of game etc.

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Respect for the ref and his decisions is drilled into rugby players from juvenile age. It clearly pays dividends.

You dont need to tell me that. I ref rugby.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Getting ex players would be good but isnt be all end all some see it as.
After referees do the initial course to become a referee what other training do they get?
In rugby referees have monthly meetings to discuss laws/issues in the game that will have arisen. Looking at video clips of incidentas
What would you see as a proper respect campaign?

I dont see VAR being needed. Fixing/changing the rule book would be far more beneficial in relation to number of reds than any video ref

For some incidents maybe, for other off the ball incidents maybe not. But something is certainly needed to check out dodgy goals.
Waterford were knocked out of the championship this year on a dodgy goal. Galway could have lost the Leinster final on a dodgy goal.
Liam Rushes goal v KK could have seen them beaten that day.
There are lots of these every year having much more influence on games than any point caught by Hawk-Eye.

OK lets see how we could trouble shoot these four simple rule changes

1) Implement a "halfway" line

2)" A player receiving a backwards pass may not be in his own half when collecting the ball "

3) " A maximum of three passes either by foot or hand allowed in your own half of the field"

4) " For the ball to travel over the "halfway" line it must be kicked

These simple changes would result in a more expansive games,Would speed the game up,Would increase kick passing ten fold and would be easily implemented at all levels

Prop Joe wrote: »

OK lets see how we could trouble shoot these four simple rule changes

1) Implement a "halfway" line

2)" A player receiving a backwards pass may not be in his own half when collecting the ball "

3) " A maximum of three passes either by foot or hand allowed in your own half of the field"

4) " For the ball to travel over the "halfway" line it must be kicked

These simple changes would result in a more expansive games,Would speed the game up,Would increase kick passing ten fold and would be easily implemented at all levels

Except that they are not simple, they would be extremely complicated for a referee.

Apart from that they address the wrong problem. The problem isn't the handpassing in their own half, the problem is the blanket defence. The changes you propose will make it much easier to implement a blanket defence and much more profitable to do so. The end result will be even lower-scoring games.

Bonniedog wrote: »

A lighter ball would also be more erratic, especially with a wind, so might make some teams even less likely to kick rather than hand pass!

I don't think the poster was talking about a cheap kiddy ball.

blanch152 wrote: »

Except that they are not simple, they would be extremely complicated for a referee.

Apart from that they address the wrong problem. The problem isn't the handpassing in their own half, the problem is the blanket defence. The changes you propose will make it much easier to implement a blanket defence and much more profitable to do so. The end result will be even lower-scoring games.

Sorry i'm not sure how you come to this conclusion ?

FrancieBrady wrote: »

I don't think the poster was talking about a cheap kiddy ball.

If you were ever at one of the Beann Eadair pitches on the top of Howth Head on a wet and windy November, you would definitely have doubts about kicking a ball forward that would end up flying behind you.