From Saturday afternoon, people across the county will get to see first hand the new rules that have been implemented in Gaelic football.
The National League will begin for 2025 with games in all divisions played under a different set of rules than we have ever seen before.
With no O’Byrne Cup this year, the National League will be the first time that these rules will be demonstrated in a competitive setting.
The throw-up is now 1 v 1, kickouts must go outside the 40 metre arc, the goalkeeper can only receive the ball in the opposition’s half and leaving three players inside the opponent’s half at all times are some of the stand out changes.
Further changes see that all frees can now be taken ‘solo and go’ except for within the oppositions 20 metre line, the advanced mark can only be claimed inside the 20 metre line while a score outside the new 40 metre arc counts as two points.
Referee’s will now be equipped with ‘vanishing spray’ like in soccer to show where the free should be taken from and there are several changes to cynical play and dissent.
From now on, only the captain or nominated person, like in rugby, may speak to a referee to ask him a question about a decision. If any other player approaches him/her, they will move the free forward 50 metres.
If you delay a free, sideline ball or kick-out, the referee can move the ball forward 50 metres.
If a team official displays any misconduct to any match official, the referee will award a free kick on the offending team’s 13m line – a severe punishment.
If a player is fouled outside the arc and the referee moves it forward for one of the above reasons, the team has the option to take the free outside the 40 metre arc and go for two points.
The stop clock has also been introduced and the game will end immediately when the hooter sounds, regardless of where the ball is in play at time.
Laois Coaching and Games manager Shane Keegan recently joined us on the Laois Football Podcast.
He, and his team, have had constant meetings with Jim Gavin about these rule changes and he describes them a seismic.
The new rules will be implemented in Laois at club level too – all the way down to U-15.
Shane said: “Basically what they’re saying at the top is that all rules fully will be implemented at minor and U-15.
“And they’re letting counties take a county by county approach to how much of those rules they want implemented U-13.”
Keegan is coaching JK Brackens in Tipperary this year and he says that clubs who engage with the new rules now, have the chance to really get ahead of others.
He said: “There are no short cuts here. And there’s a massive chance for clubs to steal an advantage on other clubs here. There really is.
“Because some clubs will kind of say, ‘ah, we’ll figure it out as we go along here and we’ll get to the end of the championship season’.
“They still won’t have it figured out and they’ll have gone out early. Whereas other clubs will buy into this.
“They’ll wrap their head around it. You know, they’ll attend workshops so that they can get the best understanding of it possible.”
Laois GAA will be providing “New Rules” regional workshops over the coming weeks to inform club coaches of the new incoming rules ahead of the 2025 season.
Each club has been designated a regional venue with the first of these taking place in St Colman’s School Stradbally on Thursday, January 23.
This is for coaches from U-13 upwards and anyone wanting to attend is asked to submit here.
Keegan said: “People who buy into this and try and wrap their head around it, without a doubt, they’re going to steal a march on it.”
Laois GAA had Jim Gavin down in Portlaoise last week where he spoke to Laois GAA’s Academy Coaches and referees.
While Laois GAA have also announced details of a practical workshop with Colm Nally.
The former Louth goalkeeper, Meath and Kildare senior football coach and current FRC member will be running a face-to-face workshop for coaches within Laois entitled: ‘Practical Examples To Support The New Rule Enhancements’.
This takes place on Saturday February 15 and details for this can be found here.
Keegan added: “I think the onus is on everybody, rather than bitching and moaning and whinging about any of the rules that you do or don’t like, just embrace them and give them a go.
“And as Jim has said, I think they’re all for consideration and alteration as things go along.
“But there’s no point in whinging after you’ve been knocked out of the championship that the reason you were knocked out is because you didn’t understand such and such a rule when the same fella didn’t attend any of these workshops.”
You can listen to the full chat with Shane below:
