All-Ireland winning hero backs GAA rule change that punishes 'assholes of the game, like me'
Jim Gavin's Football Review Committee will trial a raft of proposed rule changes at Croke Park next weekend
Donegal All-Ireland winning defender Eamon McGee is in favour of one major rule change in the GAA. Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee (FRC) will hold a series of trials at Croke Park next weekend in the revived Railway Cup to test the proposed changes.
McGee likes the idea of teams holding three players in the opposition half at all times and the ‘solo and go.’ He isn’t in favour of restricting back passes to goalkeeper, but he reckons the 50 metre penalty for slowing down a free or a mark is a sure fire winner.
“This punishes the assholes of the game, like myself, who are nearly rewarded for negativity,” he says. “It rewards positivity, which is ultimately what the majority probably want to see. A game of Gaelic played with net positivity would, in my opinion anyway, be a joy to watch.
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“Linked to this is the punishment of a 13 metre free for aggressive backtalk from an identifiable member of a management team or a non-playing sub.
“In a game where respect for the referee isn’t a thing, this is welcome. I’d bring this rule in at underage level because I’m one of the ones who is institutionalised.
“I struggle to hold back from the referee because it’s always been that way. This is a great rule for weeding that out straight away.”
Meanwhile, McGee likes the sound of the 40 metre scoring arc, where a score from outside the arc is worth two points, while a goal could also be worth four points if the proposed rule changes are passed.
“Simple but effective,” said McGee. “Two scores outside the arc and you are four points up. It means having to push out and it means teams cannot sit in, even when they are defending a lead.
“We’d all got so caught up in the famous scoring zones chart that we had become somewhat robotic.
“Get the ball to this area, but if you shoot outside it you will get eaten in the next video analysis session.
“We probably forgot that scoring zones are different for everyone, Eamon McGee shooting from the sideline with the outside of his boot is different to David Clifford doing the same. This rule rewards that skill and I’m all for it.”
McGee is “dead against” limiting backpasses to the goalkeeper, which is designed to prevent number ones becoming an extra player in long passages of keep ball.
“One of the stories of the 2024 championship was keepers getting caught way off their line. It was exciting to see Odhran Lynch get caught out.
“The keeper role has evolved and instead of coming up with solutions to press the ball we are punishing keepers. Rewarding unimaginative coaching.
“We can press the ball. It just means we have to think outside the box. It’s a smaller pitch, yes but the rules don’t limit the soccer keeper coming out and playing.
“In a lot of cases around the country keepers are simply awful outfield and opposition nearly want them on the ball to target them. No need for this rule at all."
**** Read Eamon’s full column in Saturday’s Irish Daily Star
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