THE LAST POINT: A few tweaks here and there

Rushing to judgment is not particularly I'm fond of doing, especially not in print - a hastily formed opinion often seems foolish with the passage of time, emotion clouding judgment when we might not fully appreciate the long term consequences of what we're witnessing. But, maybe, just maybe, we’re at the point that we can discuss the new playing rules in gaelic football with a little more authority rather than knee jerk reactions.

Next weekend sees clubs reach the 60% stage of their guaranteed games  in the Connacht Gold Senior Championship (and that's a topic for later discussion) and we've had a full League at club level, so it is fair to say that we have a pretty good idea of how the new playing rules are going; what works and what doesn't and an idea changes we'd like to see made although there are a few caveats.

The most glaring caveat is the impact of the weather on new rules on the County game in the early part of the Allianz League, where strong winds were often the deciding factor in how games went - we've enjoyed some incredible weather this Summer but we haven't hit the autumn or winter yet and the new rules around two point scores and kickouts may be viewed differently by the time we hit November.

Judging the new rules by County fare, admittedly the shop window for the game, can be misleading - counties field their best players backed by almost professional set-ups with expert coaching designed to exploit the talents of their players and the grey areas in the rules. And we must acknowledge that much of what we see in  the county game trickles down to the club scene.

But I believe it is fair to say that the impact of the new rules have been genuinely positive - more attacking football, more contests in the middle of the park at kickouts, the streamlined mark in attack and midfield and the three-man rule, as frustrating as it can be when your team falls foul of it, has transformed the game from a stop-start affair to a much more free-flowing contest.

THE LAST POINT: RETURN OF THE MAC AND OTHER STORIES

Perhaps the one innovation that has the most impact has been the combination of  'Solo & Go' and the 50 metre penalty for not handing the ball back - the ability to take off from a quick free has transformed the game with players streaming forward, less delays and  far more opportunities in attack.

I'm not certain what the stats are saying but from the games I've witnessed at club level, there is far more movement, less hold-ups and far less opportunity for the needless delays that previously blighted the game; the punishment for not handing the ball back is just so severe and it has certainly made an impact, even in juvenile games.

The greatest compliment that I can give Jim Gavin and his committee is that the low-grade hum that settled over the crowd in recent years during games has disappeared. Nobody has time now to chat or surf the net on the phone because the action is non-stop and so fast moving - sometimes frustratingly so as I missed Paul Keaney's quick solo & go goal for St Mary's last Friday, taking notes as I was at the time.

There is still a degree of massed defences with 12 players from both teams able to congregate in a half and holding onto the ball for long periods still works as Leitrim Gaels demonstrated superbly last Saturday, denying Mohill the possession they craved to create an equaliser before striking themselves to seal victory.

The transformation has been so startling that watching Ladies football has been kinda jarring - the ladies game was always the leader in innovation but seeing two players from each side contesting the throw-in and the absence of solo & go looks strange now and that tells you how much of an impact the new rules have had.

As I said earlier, there are caveats - winter football will be very different from what we're watching now, games very different if a keeper is facing a gale force wind for his kickouts and the opposition loft the ball over the bar from the guts of 50 or 60 yards, although Conor Beirne or Barry McNulty doesn't seem to need that wind!

Two pointers from frees has me conflicted - teams have already got the reward of a free shot at the posts so doubling the punishment seems a bit harsh, as does the ability to bring frees back outside the arch if the particular offence has been moved forward - Keith Beirne did that three times for Mohill against Leitrim Gaels for what were technical breaches.

The two-pointer from play is wonderful, a thing of beauty but, with the law of unintended consequences, it has reduced the impact of goals. Teams are scoring more points than ever but scoring goals is an elemental part of the game and nothing lifts a team nor gets spectators on their feet quicker or with more joy than a goal but the two-pointer has seen their impact vastly reduced.

I'd have kept the four points for a goal and I'd take away two-points for a free but I'll admit that might not work, defences more likely to foul if the two pointer free is off the menu as the cost of a long range free is just so high now.

THE LAST POINT: APPETISERS THE MAIN COURSE

As much as the new rules have changed the game, the new laws governing discipline and back-chat to referees have altered the game considerably - we've seen players and mentors punished for outbursts at great cost. It hasn't been entirely eliminated unfortunately and I reckon Leitrim officials have been incredibly tolerant, probably far too tolerant, in their reaction to some of what has been said to them during games.

We've become so immune to the abuse suffered by officials that any clampdown is regarded as heresy but with counties, including Leitrim, struggling to recruit officials, anything that makes their jobs that bit easier has to be welcomed with open arms - for all the importance of players, fans and managers, we'd have no game with the man, or woman, in the middle.

But here is the kicker, Jim Gavin & his committee aren't finished yet - they've been trialling a few more tweaks including an intriguing proposal that would ban the ball going back across the halfway line once a team has taken it over! Imagine the potential for chaos or magic with the four point goal also on the menu. Everyone has their own preferences but the rebirth of gaelic football this year has been the success story of the year.