Jim Gavin Confirms FRC Recommendations for Gaelic Football Adjustments

Jim Gavin Confirms FRC Recommendations for Gaelic Football Adjustments

The Football Review Committee (FRC), led by chairman Jim Gavin, has submitted recommendations for adjustments to Gaelic football’s playing rules.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, the former Dublin manager confirmed that the FRC met for the 50th time on Monday night and has put forward proposals that will be reviewed by the GAA’s Central Council this Thursday.

No Specifics Yet on Rule Changes

While Gavin declined to outline the exact details of the recommendations, he explained that the FRC report would first go through the Standing Committee on Playing Rules before any changes are considered by the wider GAA hierarchy.

One key area still under review is the physical demands placed on players by the new rules. However, Gavin revealed that counties have yet to share data on the subject, which has prevented the committee from making a fully informed decision.

“What we have heard is that there are more physical demands on players, but we haven’t seen the data yet. We want teams to share that data with us,” Gavin said.

Call for Extra Substitutes Remains Under Consideration

Several inter-county managers, including Donegal’s Jim McGuinness and Dublin’s Dessie Farrell, have called for an additional substitute to help cope with the increased physical demands. However, Gavin stressed that no decision could be made without concrete data.

“That research is ongoing, and until we get the data – which will be anonymised – we can’t make any assessment of the physical demands.”

The recent rule changes have drawn heavy criticism from certain managers, but Gavin maintained that “in general, people like what they see.”

One of the strongest critiques came from Meath boss Robbie Brennan, who claimed that the current game “is not Gaelic football.” His comments were particularly striking given that Meath have won four games in a row and currently sit joint top of Division Two.

Gavin acknowledged the concerns but pointed out that inter-county managers make up just 2% of the Association, albeit as “very important stakeholders.”

The Central Council’s decision on Thursday will determine whether any of the FRC’s recommendations are implemented ahead of the All-Ireland series.