The motions at Saturday’s GAA Special Congress on the new football rules have all been passed with huge majorities in the 18 votes as delegates backed the wide ranging changes proposed by Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee.
Only 60% support was required to enact change and none of the votes received less than 73% backing for new rules that will come into effect for the Allianz Football League which starts in late January.
After an enabling motion was accepted by a 93% vote which means the new rules will apply to club (after 31 March) and inter-county football and could be amended by the GAA’s Central Council in 2025, the indication change was genuinely in the air came when 92% accepted the introduction of a 1v1 contest during the throw-ins.
A whopping 95% of delegates then voted to accept the introduction of a new 40-metre kickout arc which will mean that goalkeepers will have to find team-mates outside the sector, instead of opting for short kickouts.
The motion where outfield players will only be permitted to pass to the goalkeeper if they are both inside the large rectangle – or if the goalkeeper has advanced beyond their halfway – also gained 94% support.
Likewise, the motion calling for a minimum of three outfield players to remain in both halves at all times was accepted by 96% of delegates while the advanced mark proposal received 88% support.
This will enable players cleanly fielding the ball inside the 20-metre line, after it has been kicked from outside the 45, to continue on in an attempt to score from play, but with the ball being brought back for the mark if no score accrues.
The thinking behind this rule is aimed at incentivising teams to kick long into the forwards in the hope of fashioning more goal opportunities.