HAND PASS: A limit of three consecutive passes of the ball with the fist or open hand by players of the team in possession. The playing of the ball by open hand(s) or fist for the purpose of scoring a point won’t be deemed a hand pass.

Goals are going to reduce if a player can’t slip a ball quickly off. I would have preferred that once you go past the ’45, you can’t play the ball back. Teams can’t handpass the ball 25 times up the field so teams will have to leave men up to kick to. Worth looking at. I know it’s five tackles in Rugby League but I can see this limit leading to a lot of fumbles and turnovers. Is three enough to get you out of trouble in congested area? Very testing for players who might have to kick it away to a forward who is double marked. The famous Meath goal against Dublin in 1991 involved umpteen passes. You often need four or more passes to break down a defence. It’s a serious punishment for a forward. It’s not going to help the game. Corofin’s goal in the All-Ireland club final shows how the handpass can be good thing. If there was no pass back to goalkeeper, it might create a better dynamic. It’s hard as it stands for teams to go full court press. It’s gone in soccer and ice hockey. We’ve seen it before in club finals with Dr Crokes and Slaughtneil able to pass it around themselves, play keep ball. A slight thumbs down – from a referee’s point of view, this counting business could lead to mistakes.