'I like the game just the way it was, would you believe?'- Laois GAA manager Justin McNulty on new rules

As Gaelic football prepares to usher in new rules this weekend, Laois manager Justin McNulty shared his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities they present, emphasising the importance of adapting quickly while maintaining focus on the fundamentals of the game when he spoke to the local media outlets in Laois on Thursday, January 16.

"I guess there's nothing that we probably didn't foresee. The rules are the rules now and it's been a steep, steep learning curve for us as coaches and for the players as well as for referees. There's a degree of chaos around it, and I probably anticipate chaos in the first round of the league to a certain degree," McNulty said.

He stressed the need to "control that chaos" and maintain structure and discipline on the pitch.

"We must keep structure, we must keep organisation, we must keep a huge communication, we must keep a formation on the pitch which is effective in the circumstances. The rules have changed, but the principles of Gaelic Football still apply. Diarmuid Carroll talks about brilliant basics, and our basics have to be brilliant. We have to be focused on the fundamentals of the game, we have to play as a team, we have to work hard, and we have to take scores when opportunities are presented to us.”

Historic clash: Laois and Leitrim set for first game under new rules

The upcoming Laois versus Leitrim clash on Saturday, January 25, will mark a significant moment in GAA history as the first inter-county game to be played under the new rules. Laois manager Justin McNulty is embracing the challenge, describing the game as 'a voyage into the unknown' that excites both players and management.

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"A huge element of this is that it's a voyage into the unknown. I guess that's very, very exciting, that uncertainty and that chaos, but we've got to try and stamp our authority on that chaos and control it to the best of our ability," McNulty said.

With a mix of young and experienced players, McNulty is optimistic about how his team will adapt.

"We have smart footballers across the board, young, new, inexperienced players who are smart footballers who seem to be able to manage things very effectively, and that bodes well, but it's no guarantee. We know we're going to have a really tough, well-organised team in Leitrim, but we're excited by the opportunity to go and stamp our mark and get control of the new dispensation in our sport and show ourselves what we've got," he added.

The historic nature of the game adds to the intrigue, with both teams tasked with navigating the untested waters of the new rules. While challenges abound, McNulty is eager to see how his squad rises to the occasion: "It’s an opportunity to go and stamp our mark,” he said, setting the tone for what promises to be a fascinating encounter in Ballinamore.

Increased opportunities for attackers

McNulty admitted a personal preference for 'the game just the way it was' but acknowledged that the new rules could lead to a more open and attacking game: "I like the game just the way it was, would you believe? There's huge disruption in these rules. I think there probably has to be a degree of more openness in attack. With three players less in defence, there has to be much more attacking opportunities.

"I think that's demonstrated with some of the scorelines already. There probably will be more scores and maybe more one-on-one opportunities up front for your traditional inside forward, who can take men on much more readily," he explained.

Kick-outs have also become more challenging, with contests around them increasing under the new setup as the ball must travel outside the 40-metre arc.

"Kick-outs are much more difficult. There are going to be many more contests around kick-out time based on the wider arc and probably a degree more open play. I'm not so sure that there will be much more kicking. The long-range scoring is going to be interesting to see. I think on these heavy pitches at this stage of the year, that’s not going to be very prevalent yet.”

Discipline and tactical adjustments

The Laois boss welcomed the new discipline rule, which aims to address the abuse of officials, calling it a necessary change.

"I do like the discipline one. I do think it has become an unacceptable norm in our sport for abuse of officials, and it’s not acceptable so that nails that,” McNulty said.

However, managing the 'three-up, three-back' rule has proven difficult, requiring meticulous organisation to avoid costly penalties: "The three-up, three-back is hard to manage and hard to keep on top of. You’ve to be very organised and keyed in to make sure that you don't have some momentary lapse of concentration. The next thing, you’ve lost a 14-yard free-kick, which could seem a very harsh punishment,” he admitted.

McNulty revealed that Laois are still figuring out how to designate players to stay inside the opposition's 65-meter line.

"We haven't quite figured that one out yet, and that might sound strange, but I guess there's a degree of organic organisation on the pitch. So, whether you have a set structure on that as to three designated players or otherwise, we haven't quite bottomed that one out yet.”

Challenging Preparations

The absence of the O’Byrne Cup and other pre-season competitions has added to the difficulties of adapting to the new rules. McNulty criticised the decision to cancel these games, which would have provided valuable opportunities to trial the changes in a competitive setting.

"That was sort of silly to have taken away the pre-season and also, to have had that diktat around the pre-Christmas games as well was silly. We need game time to get the full rehearsal of the rules. So again, our preparation hasn't by any means been ideal, but that's not to say we're going to Ballinamore with excuses. There are no excuses," McNulty said.

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The Laois manager acknowledged the steep learning curve for players, especially newcomers to the inter-county setup: "It’s a steep learning curve for coaches and especially for young fellas coming into our squad, coming into this inter-county environment for the first time, which is a hugely steep learning curve. Then throw in on top of that all these new rules, that's a real, real challenge. So, we recognise that we have to be patient with the learning, but we do know that we need to be ready to rock on Saturday.”

As Laois prepares to face Leitrim in Ballinamore, McNulty remains focused on ensuring his team are ready to adapt and perform. "We have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to get a performance that our players can be proud of as individuals and as a team," he concluded.