Experimental Rules for National Football League confirmed

New experimental rule changes will be in place for the 2019 Allianz Football League after the GAA’s Central Council sanctioned new guidelines in relation to kickouts, sideline kicks, handpassing, a ‘sin bin’ and the mark.

TheGAA’s Standing Committee on the Playing Rules (SCPR) proposals related to the restricted use of the hand-pass, the sideline kick, the introduction of the ‘sin bin’, the advanced mark and the admendment of the kick-out.

An amended version of the kick-out proposal was also passed that will see all kick-outs take place from the 20m line without having to pass the 45m line.

The five rule changes proposed are;

Proposal (1)Handpass 

To introduce a restriction of three consecutivepasses of the ball with the fist or open hand by players of the team inpossession.

Proposal (2)Sideline Kick

That the ball shall be played in a forward direction from the kick.

Exception: In the case of a side-line kick being taken by an attackingplayer on or inside the opponents’ 13m line, the ball may be kicked in anydirection.

Proposal (3)The Mark

To extend the application of the Mark to the cleancatching of the ball on or inside the 20m line from a kick delivered on orbeyond the 45m line without it touching the ground.

In the case of a Mark being awarded to an attacking player on or inside the 20m line, the free, if availed of, shall be taken from the point on the 20m line directly in line where the Mark is awarded.

In the case of a Mark being awarded to a defending player on or inside the 20m line, the free kick, if availed of, shall be taken from the point where the Mark is awarded.

Exception: A free-kick from a Mark shall be taken from the hand(s) only.

If a player opts to ‘play on’ when awarded a Mark, he may be challenged i.e. provisions (b) (i) and (ii) of the current Mark Rule shall not apply during the experimentation.

Proposal (4)Sin-Bin 

The Penalty on the day for a Black Card Infraction ortwo Yellow Card Infractions – an ordering off for ten minutes in a Sin Bin.

Proposal (5) Kick-Out/Zoning

For a kick-out, two players only from each team shall be positioned between the two 45m lines. The goalkeeper and a maximum of six players from each team shall be behind the respective 45m lines, until the ball is kicked.

The ball from the kick-out shall travel beyond the 45m line before being played by a player of the defending team.

The experimental period will cover the pre-season competitions run by the provincial councils and the Allianz Football Leagues but will not be in use for next summers championship.

There was broad support for the introduction of a second-tier football championship and it was agreed to discuss possible formats at the January meeting of Ard Chomhairle to allow a motion to proceed to Congress in February.