Jack O’Connor wants revolutionary rule added to GAA in 2026

Kerry manager O'Connor is keen to reduce the number of hand-passes.

After Gaelic football was turned on its head in 2025 with the introduction of the two-point arc, we could see more changes sooner rather than later.

These new rules were trialled at a ‘sandbox’ game in Abbotstown in July, with SportsJOE getting the inside scoop on how they went down.

O'Connor wants back-court rule trials

Speaking with Morning Ireland, O’Connor insisted he is keen to see the over and back or ‘back-court’ rule implemented, due to the difficulty in pressing teams now.

He said: “I spoke to Jarlath Burns earlier in the year one evening. He might have rang me in and I actually mentioned the thing that they're talking about now, the back-court one where once you cross the halfway line, you can't go back into your own half.

“That could really work because it's hard enough to press a team now – they're holding onto the ball because there's so much space. 

“I feel that if that one was brought in where once you crossed the half, you basically can't go ‘back court’ like basketball.

“That's one that's worth trialling, certainly worth having a look at. It might decrease the amount of hand-passing because that might be the one thing that, at the moment, could be improved – there’s still a bit too much hand-passing."