There’s a meeting tomorrow in Thurles on how the game of hurling can be improved, which is to be chaired by John Meyler and Willie Maher. Unfortunately I can’t make it, but sent the following suggestions. Let me know what you think. KEEPER CAN’T TAKE BALL IN HIS HAND FROM A BACK-PASS - if the ball is passed back to the keeper during play, he may not take it into his hands. He can control it, strike it, whatever he likes, but can’t take it in his hands or even do a handpass off the stick. This will make it harder to recycle - meaning pressing high is more likely to cause exciting turnovers. PUCKOUT OPTION TO ENCOURAGE MORE 50-50 CONTESTED HIGH BALLS - ⁠for puckouts, each side must keep three players inside 21 (but outside the penalty box) closest to the keeper when the ball is struck. The puckout must also pass the near ‘45. This will lead the less mass defences, and more 50-50 contested high balls. - ⁠The unintended consequence could be teams bringing out their full-forward and full-back lines at the far end of the pitch. Worth trialling to see, as 50-50 high balls are a brilliant spectacle that we see less of. CYNICAL FOULS ANYWHERE ON THE PITCH ARE PENALTIES - ⁠all cynical tackles are punished by a penalty and a yellow card. Cynical tackles only occur when a team wants to prevent a move where a team wants to create a goal chance, so this is the only true deterrent. Too often, we see rugby tackles out the field late in games, and this would cut that out overnight. You’d expect this rule would rarely have to be used once teams see how (rightly) punitive it is. PENALTY SPOT MARKER 25 YARDS OUT - ⁠Penalties - paint a small line 25 yards out from where the ball must be lifted, and let the player jab and strike his penalty from however far forward he can take it from there. Brings back power penalties. Currently, you can see players more focused on not going past the ‘21 than the strike. NO QUICK PUCKOUTS - Quick restarts after wides have turned the game into ping pong. - ⁠Worth trialling, as I’m not convinced it will be a positive step.