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On a long and overnight train journey with time to kill.
Here are 8 hurling rules I would change.
1. Ban the backpass to the keeper. Full back lines who can't hurl the ball deserve to be punished for it. The dynamic of the game changes back to going long from the puck out.
2. Ban the handpass. You go in to contact, get bottled up, you have to drop the ball rather than throwing it. Another option you get a handpass you can't give a handpass.
3. Allow a line ball to be taken out of the hands, but you can't score. Half of line balls are scrappy, along the ground, end up in a ruck. Speed up the game and get the game going quicker again. To ensure the great line ball skill isn't lost, a score from a traditional line ball is 2 points.
4. Shot clock for free Time wasting over frees is rampant, have a 45 second shot clock for the free to be taken.
5. 4 point goal. Encourage more goal and goal attempts
6. Throw in ball should be up in the air like football. Ruck, referee throws the ball in, often another ruck. Throw the ball up in the air.
7. Penalties out of the hand, rather than lift and strike I once mis-lifted one of these, I was gassed after extra time. Penalty taker #5 on a county team isn't good at penalties, let alone penalty taker #5 on a club team.
8. Reduce the game to 13 a side. Players are now fitter, stronger than ever. Space is limited and we need to give the players more space.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2018 - 29/04/2026 10:48:17
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Replying To StoreysTash: "On a long and overnight train journey with time to kill.
Here are 8 hurling rules I would change.
1. Ban the backpass to the keeper. Full back lines who can't hurl the ball deserve to be punished for it. The dynamic of the game changes back to going long from the puck out.
2. Ban the handpass. You go in to contact, get bottled up, you have to drop the ball rather than throwing it. Another option you get a handpass you can't give a handpass.
3. Allow a line ball to be taken out of the hands, but you can't score. Half of line balls are scrappy, along the ground, end up in a ruck. Speed up the game and get the game going quicker again. To ensure the great line ball skill isn't lost, a score from a traditional line ball is 2 points.
4. Shot clock for free Time wasting over frees is rampant, have a 45 second shot clock for the free to be taken.
5. 4 point goal. Encourage more goal and goal attempts
6. Throw in ball should be up in the air like football. Ruck, referee throws the ball in, often another ruck. Throw the ball up in the air.
7. Penalties out of the hand, rather than lift and strike I once mis-lifted one of these, I was gassed after extra time. Penalty taker #5 on a county team isn't good at penalties, let alone penalty taker #5 on a club team.
8. Reduce the game to 13 a side. Players are now fitter, stronger than ever. Space is limited and we need to give the players more space." Id have to disagree with most of them.
1. Im against it in football so im going to be consistent. The keeper is part of the team and should be treated the same as every other player. I would change the puck out rule though. Imo the ball should have to travel outside the 2 point arc and 20m line.
2. Completely disagree on that.
3. The side line cut is a skill that needs to be nurtured not eliminated. I would award 2 points for a "point" direct from a sideline cut.
4. Not totally against the concept but I dont think it makes much difference. People forget that the clock would start from the time free taker places the ball and not from time whistle is blown. We dont want to reward foul play either.
5. I think its Unnecessary.
6. Unnecessary and potentially dangerous. There is merit in trialing only one from each side contesting the throw in though.
7. Again, its eliminating a skill from the game. Atm if the penalty taker lifts and strikes the ball correctly they should score. It all favours the taker and that's how it should be. However the keeper has a fighting chance if the strike isnt correct . That makes it a contest. Taking from the hand not only eliminates a skill but also greatly reduces an already low likelihood of a contest.
8. Totally unnecessary in my opinion.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 29/04/2026 11:37:20
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First thoughts include that Number 6 above seeks to reduce the number of rucks, but the first part of Number 2 (having to drop the ball when you're bottled up) would surely only lead to more rucks. Think the two are inconsistent with each other.
But another suggestion related to the handpass, that came up recently as a result of something posted on a football rules thread, and which therefore might have gone unseen by those who mainly just read hurling threads here:
indirect free for a dodgy handpass.
We all know that many handpasses in every match are questionable (at best). However, thing is that a free from anywhere further forward than your own 45m line is now basically a scoring opportunity. And it's probably too much of a punishment to concede a point for a questionable handpass that may have been technically legal after all, so I reckon referees are reluctant to blow for too many of them.
Change it to an indirect free, and referees might be more inclined to blow it up when the ball is not obviously "released and struck with a definite striking action of a hand" (that bit in quotes is the exact wording from the Rule Book).
The dodgy pass is still punished as you concede possession and probably a lot of territory, but at least you don't concede a score.
Thoughts?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3561 - 29/04/2026 12:17:56
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Replying To Pikeman96: "First thoughts include that Number 6 above seeks to reduce the number of rucks, but the first part of Number 2 (having to drop the ball when you're bottled up) would surely only lead to more rucks. Think the two are inconsistent with each other.
But another suggestion related to the handpass, that came up recently as a result of something posted on a football rules thread, and which therefore might have gone unseen by those who mainly just read hurling threads here:
indirect free for a dodgy handpass.
We all know that many handpasses in every match are questionable (at best). However, thing is that a free from anywhere further forward than your own 45m line is now basically a scoring opportunity. And it's probably too much of a punishment to concede a point for a questionable handpass that may have been technically legal after all, so I reckon referees are reluctant to blow for too many of them.
Change it to an indirect free, and referees might be more inclined to blow it up when the ball is not obviously "released and struck with a definite striking action of a hand" (that bit in quotes is the exact wording from the Rule Book).
The dodgy pass is still punished as you concede possession and probably a lot of territory, but at least you don't concede a score.
Thoughts?" I dont dislike the idea. Thats for sure but id like to see it in action. Id hate to see a heap of stoppage for indirect frees but I agree that a pointable free is too high a price for what, currently, amounts to a " lottery" free.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 29/04/2026 14:48:09
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Replying To Tadhg2020: " Replying To Pikeman96: "First thoughts include that Number 6 above seeks to reduce the number of rucks, but the first part of Number 2 (having to drop the ball when you're bottled up) would surely only lead to more rucks. Think the two are inconsistent with each other.
But another suggestion related to the handpass, that came up recently as a result of something posted on a football rules thread, and which therefore might have gone unseen by those who mainly just read hurling threads here:
<b>indirect</b> free for a dodgy handpass.
We all know that many handpasses in every match are questionable (at best). However, thing is that a free from anywhere further forward than your own 45m line is now basically a scoring opportunity. And it's probably too much of a punishment to concede a point for a questionable handpass that may have been technically legal after all, so I reckon referees are reluctant to blow for too many of them.
Change it to an <b>indirect</b> free, and referees might be more inclined to blow it up when the ball is not obviously "released and struck with a definite striking action of a hand" (that bit in quotes is the exact wording from the Rule Book).
The dodgy pass is still punished as you concede possession and probably a lot of territory, but at least you don't concede a score.
Thoughts?"</div>I dont dislike the idea. Thats for sure but id like to see it in action. Id hate to see a heap of stoppage for indirect frees but I agree that a pointable free is too high a price for what, currently, amounts to a " lottery" free." Yes. Obvious pitfall would be it would lead to many more stoppages, at least in the early stages after introduction. And potential pitfall would be that if it was just trialled in one or two competition first, the powers-that-be would decide "too many stoppages, let's get rid of that rule" rather than giving it enough time to bed in properly and players everywhere getting used to it. But I do think that in time, if it was left there, that dodgy handpasses would become a thing of the past, if players knew that a dodgy handpass would automatically lead to the opposition getting possession of the ball instead.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3561 - 29/04/2026 15:11:37
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Disagree on all 8 and particularly strongly on any notion of banning the handpass.
I'm in a minority of 2 with Derek McGrath on that one -
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/gaa/derek-mcgrath-protect-hurlings-handpass-every-free-given-for-a-throw-last-season-was-wrong/ar-AA215IXY?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Too great a skill to ever consider removing it from the game.
We were right to remove scoring from a handpass, like Johnny Flaherty's goal v Galway in 1981 but just look at his handpass to assist for Offaly's goal in the first half and then tell me that type of play should be removed from our game.
Maroooned (Westmeath) - Posts: 14 - 29/04/2026 15:35:49
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I like the rule suggested in that article, that teams would be penalised for shouting throw.
I'd be up for introducing that for all appeals to the ref - appealing to the ref is ok for cricket - get it out of hurling (and football)
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1781 - 30/04/2026 12:58:35
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Enforce the proper handpass rule, no clear action move the free up to the 13mt line. It wouldn't be long stopping the thrown ball. It drives me mad and what makes it worse is refs will call a throw ball in a crucial stage in a game while it's a free for all before and after that.
Remove the rugby league style tackle where it's a straight arm blocking up around the chest, shoulders and neck area. This leads to other player ducking and throwing up the arms and hurl as if his been shot. It's hurling not rugby league.
It's the obsession to have as many scores in a game now that has taken a lot of skill out of it. It's like basketball with the up and down nature of the possession game now. When KK catch up with the rest of the country playing that style it'll be curtains for us all.
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 140 - 30/04/2026 13:26:15
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Replying To 2maroonjerseys: "Enforce the proper handpass rule, no clear action move the free up to the 13mt line. It wouldn't be long stopping the thrown ball. It drives me mad and what makes it worse is refs will call a throw ball in a crucial stage in a game while it's a free for all before and after that.
Remove the rugby league style tackle where it's a straight arm blocking up around the chest, shoulders and neck area. This leads to other player ducking and throwing up the arms and hurl as if his been shot. It's hurling not rugby league.
It's the obsession to have as many scores in a game now that has taken a lot of skill out of it. It's like basketball with the up and down nature of the possession game now. When KK catch up with the rest of the country playing that style it'll be curtains for us all." Alot of the old skills are deemed dangerous play now.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19410 - 30/04/2026 17:30:28
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Replying To Viking66: "Alot of the old skills are deemed dangerous play now." Ironic that helmets are mandatory now. Years ago you just stood into yer man because if you stood off ya got killed
2maroonjerseys (Galway) - Posts: 140 - 01/05/2026 00:58:42
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Replying To Maroooned: "Disagree on all 8 and particularly strongly on any notion of banning the handpass.
I'm in a minority of 2 with Derek McGrath on that one -
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/gaa/derek-mcgrath-protect-hurlings-handpass-every-free-given-for-a-throw-last-season-was-wrong/ar-AA215IXY?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Too great a skill to ever consider removing it from the game.
We were right to remove scoring from a handpass, like Johnny Flaherty's goal v Galway in 1981 but just look at his handpass to assist for Offaly's goal in the first half and then tell me that type of play should be removed from our game." In fairness Flaherty's was a proper handpass, thrown up and struck in 2 clear movements. Everyone would like to see that in the game but if there is no appetite to ref it properly I'd rather see no handpass at all.
Overdahill (Galway) - Posts: 108 - 01/05/2026 09:32:09
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Replying To 2maroonjerseys: "Ironic that helmets are mandatory now. Years ago you just stood into yer man because if you stood off ya got killed" Still coach the younger lads to do that. U8s and u10s can be pretty dangerous with wild pulls!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19410 - 01/05/2026 10:07:29
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3 changes:
The sliothar needs to go retro and yes, ban the hand pass completely as its just thrown. No back pass to keeper either.
suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1793 - 01/05/2026 10:46:39
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Replying To suckvalleypaddy: "3 changes:
The sliothar needs to go retro and yes, ban the hand pass completely as its just thrown. No back pass to keeper either." There is very little wrong with our game. Its fast, its high quality, high intensity, extremely physical and very entertaining in its current form. The handpass in its current form is part of all of that. It allows fluid play and should be looked at in the overall context of where the game is at. Its pretty damn great.
The biggest /ugliest part of the game is the ruck and that is just the product of a breakdown in general play and a subsequent battle for possession.
I would look at ways of addressing this first. Its not going to be easy as possession is key to success. Therefore you need to allow the contest. There is no tangible way to reward ground hurling so that's not really an option. Perhaps if we limited the contest to one from each team? So the first from each team to the ball. Im not sure it would work but the big problem is the multiple bodies in there getting in each other's way. Let's try clearing it out and see how it works. That would include throw ins by ref. One from each team and everyone else 30 metres away. Start the game like football. One on one with other 2 on opposite sidelines and everyone else inside the 45s.
The next one is the spare arm tackle- its getting dangerously high. I tend to be on the side of a red card for neck and head tackles accidental or not. Only mitigation should be whether the ball carrier ducks/dips into it or not. On the flip side I think the tackler should be allowed to use the spare arm to tackle the ball carrier as long as its below the ripple area. Not to grab or pull or hold but to block or make themselves more difficult to get by. Its happening anyway so legalise it. At the moment there is nothing a defender can do legally to stop someone running by them other than stand in their way.
On the keeper, he's part of the team so id leave that alone.
On the handpass I like the idea of the indirect free for ones the ref deems dodgy. Id hate to see a load of stoppage but its worth trying.
On scoring, why in gods name would anyone want to reduce scoring. Its what makes the game what it is. We have some spectacular scores and lots of them and yoi want to reduce that?
You cant be a hurling man. The only people I know who talk like that are football people.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 01/05/2026 11:36:40
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They should legalise underarm throwing
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19410 - 01/05/2026 13:56:36
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Replying To Tadhg2020: "There is very little wrong with our game. Its fast, its high quality, high intensity, extremely physical and very entertaining in its current form. The handpass in its current form is part of all of that. It allows fluid play and should be looked at in the overall context of where the game is at. Its pretty damn great.
The biggest /ugliest part of the game is the ruck and that is just the product of a breakdown in general play and a subsequent battle for possession.
I would look at ways of addressing this first. Its not going to be easy as possession is key to success. Therefore you need to allow the contest. There is no tangible way to reward ground hurling so that's not really an option. Perhaps if we limited the contest to one from each team? So the first from each team to the ball. Im not sure it would work but the big problem is the multiple bodies in there getting in each other's way. Let's try clearing it out and see how it works. That would include throw ins by ref. One from each team and everyone else 30 metres away. Start the game like football. One on one with other 2 on opposite sidelines and everyone else inside the 45s.
The next one is the spare arm tackle- its getting dangerously high. I tend to be on the side of a red card for neck and head tackles accidental or not. Only mitigation should be whether the ball carrier ducks/dips into it or not. On the flip side I think the tackler should be allowed to use the spare arm to tackle the ball carrier as long as its below the ripple area. Not to grab or pull or hold but to block or make themselves more difficult to get by. Its happening anyway so legalise it. At the moment there is nothing a defender can do legally to stop someone running by them other than stand in their way.
On the keeper, he's part of the team so id leave that alone.
On the handpass I like the idea of the indirect free for ones the ref deems dodgy. Id hate to see a load of stoppage but its worth trying.
On scoring, why in gods name would anyone want to reduce scoring. Its what makes the game what it is. We have some spectacular scores and lots of them and yoi want to reduce that?
You cant be a hurling man. The only people I know who talk like that are football people." I'd say you are more of a hurling person than me, I would concede that point. I'm still mad about the game though.I f we cut down trees to make hurley's, then we should use them more. The hand pass is impossible to police.
You could go the other extreme and scrap the hurley's and just throw the ball over or under the bar.
My vote is use the hurley more.
suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1793 - 01/05/2026 21:08:49
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Replying To suckvalleypaddy: "I'd say you are more of a hurling person than me, I would concede that point. I'm still mad about the game though.I f we cut down trees to make hurley's, then we should use them more. The hand pass is impossible to police.
You could go the other extreme and scrap the hurley's and just throw the ball over or under the bar.
My vote is use the hurley more." The big change in hurling since the 90s is the movement of the players. They are bigger, stronger, fitter and faster than ever before. They run and sprint far more than previous generations. The game has evolved to complement these athletes. The running game, as its called, has enhanced the game as a spectacle. All you have to do is watch a game on tg4 gold to know what im saying is accurate. The handpass is here to stay. It isnt going anywhere . The rule wont be changing. The only thing to decide is on how to referee it. Do we continue as we are or do we go down the indirect free route for all technical fouls? I think that's the decision that needs to be made. Im not sure there is an appetite for change of that nature atm but we will see.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 288 - 02/05/2026 11:59:52
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