What new rules do you need to look out for when Kildare face Fermanagh this weekend?

The new season of 2025 is about to bring wholesale changes to the Gaelic football rulebook with the alterations likely to make the sport at least a very different spectacle. The details in full of the new playing and officiating rules are laid about below.

Kildare have had their first run out under the new rules against Galway as they prepare to tackle Division 3 in 2025.

Kildare GAA’s referee co-ordinator Ger Arnold has highlighted that despite the short lists released by media regarding the top line changes to the game, there are actually much more rule changes to facilitate the new look Gaelic Football.

“With the 48 motions that were passed, we have 47 rule changes that the referees need to re-learn. For example, if a player had delayed a kick-out before we would have thrown the ball up, now you’re conceding a free in front of the posts. It will take a lot of work for referees, but the players have a lot to take in as well,” Arnold explained.

The Leinster Leader's Tommy Callaghan also spoke to Naas forward Darragh Kirwan about the new rules ahead of this weekend's opener against Fermanagh.

Very, very difficult

“It is going to be very difficult and it is going to mean a lot of re-training for referees, as well as players and coaches. What we have seen from a couple of training games with these rules is that it is going to be hard work from everyone involved. The elite referees don’t have the benefit of pre-season outings, they are straight into the Allianz league,” Arnold said.

The Ellistown man overseeing refereeing Kildare was on alert as soon as Jarlath Burns was elected president of the GAA, knowing the Armagh native had big plans to “improve” the game.

Arnold said, “We knew the changes were on the cards, but not to what extent until the last couple of months when the Football Review Committee (headed by Jim Gavin) released their report. Nobody is disputing that the game has changed recently, and not for the better really, so we were all keen to see what was brought to the table, referees included.

“We did something in house to test how easy or difficult it would be to implement these rules with how they are written. It was eye-opening, we’ll put it that way.”

As well as the scale of the changes, there have been concerns raised regarding the wording of some rules and clarification or adjustment will likely be required as the creases are ironed out.

Arnold explained, “The solo and go as an example, there may be a few teething issues there. The rule states that you have to go forward or sideways, but if you travel forward by a foot can you then go backwards? so there is probably going to be some tightening up of the rules that we would like to see.

Referees like the rules to be black and white, we don't want to be interpreting a rule.

“With motion 1, the enabling motion they brought in. They allowed those in Croke Park to tweak the rules as they see fit. We would hope that if there is stuff that needs to be amended that they will do it.”

One of the high-profile changes to the game has been the much harsher punishment for dissent. A hot topic throughout recent years, the punishment for the infringement is now that the ball will be moved forward a further 50 metres for dissent by players, up to the opponents 13-metre line, and for protests from dugouts a 13-metre free-kick will be awarded.

Very Harsh

“It’s huge (50m). It can be very harsh and a lot of referees say that there isn’t a huge problem with dissent on the pitch. The problem is on the sidelines and referees will happily engage with players if they are speaking politely, which is where the referee can educate players.

“If someone swears and curses at you, that is different altogether. The dissent rule is going to put a lot of pressure on players and everyone needs to work together to educate them on what the new rules are. This is going to be key over the next couple of months at club games,” Arnold said.

Positioning

The Kildare GAA referee co-ordinator flagged that the biggest change for referees will be positioning under the new rules.

“You are effectively refereeing by lines now. The advanced mark that was brought in and the advantage change, the referee is going to need to be further up the field, but that creates its own problem because you have to keep the 11 v 11 at the back. It creates positioning problems that they are going to need to adapt to.

“The in-house training demonstrated that the 11 v 11 requirement created problems and we’ll know even more on that as the season progresses. We’ll be able to judge more and see how the referee reacts with it and deals with it. There are going to be 31 people out on the pitch who need to know all these new things,” Arnold said.

“Concerning the 11 v 11 rule if you are attacking and you have three defenders back, and one of your defenders crosses the line by mistake and is not attempting to win the ball it is a free from 20m. You are effectively conceding a point, whereas if you are actively trying to win the ball and you purposefully cross the line, it is a free from the halfway line.

“The penalties for these infringements are what referees, players and coaches need to understand. It goes back to educating and the next couple of months will be crucial before we get to the nitty gritty. It will be hard on everyone.”

Line Umpires

The increased strain on the referee has also facilitated the empowerment of the linesmen, who are now considered a line umpire, with more power to support the person in the middle.

Is there any sense that this is a lot all at once?

Arnold responded, “It is, it is a huge change all at once. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the inter-county pre-season competitions left in because we really haven’t seen these new rules in a competitive nature. We have not seen them in competitive football. It would have been nice to see them in pre-season, but we don’t have it. In Kildare we have the benefit of the Aldridge, Keogh and the Dowling Cup so we can run them in and have a look at them.

“We expect full support from Croke Park regarding the referee training and my understanding is that we’ll have sessions in January, but we’ll be looking at it before that. We have to think about a referee travelling to a club game on their own and how do they implement these rules on their own? That is going to be challenging. I don’t think we have ever seen so many changes and people are saying that is only seven rule enhancements; yes, but it is 47 rule changes that the referee needs to know.”

Playing Changes

1 v 1 throw-ins to start/restart the game.

Kick-outs - Players no longer need to get out of the 20 metre arc. The ball must travel outside the new 40-metre arc before the opposition can intercept.

The Goalkeeper's role: Goalkeepers can now only receive a pass from a player while inside their own box, or they can receive it inside the opposition half.

Solo and Go: If a player is fouled they now have the option to solo and continue play.

3 v 3: This rule requires both teams to keep at least three players inside each half.

Scoring: A score from outside the 40-metre arc is two points, a score from inside the 40-metre arc or 20-metre arc is one point. A score from a 45-set piece is two points, while a goal remains worth three points.

New Advanced Mark: The ball must be kicked from outside the 45 metre line in open play, and caught cleanly inside the 20 metre line. The player may play on after catching the ball until advantage is over. If no advantage comes, they can come back for the mark.

Officiating Changes

Dissent: The ball moved forward a further 50 metres for dissent by players up to the opponents 13-metre line and a 13-metre free-kick awarded for protests from dugouts.

Aggressive Fouls: Contributing to a melee and deliberate hold up of a player is a black card offence. Head to head contact is a red card.

Officiating: Fifth official will control a stop clock and vanishing foam will be used to mark free kicks inside the 65m line

Tactical Fouling : 50m advancement for tactical foul or interfering with a free-kick, sideline ball or kickout.

REVIEW COMMITTEE

The Football Review Committee comprises of Jim Gavin, Chairman; along with James Horan, Michael Meaney, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Patrick Doherty, Shane Flanagan, Malachy O'Rourke, Alec McQuillan, Colm Nally, Michael Murphy, Colm Collins and Seamus Kenny