John Horgan gives his verdict the new hurling rules proposed by John Meyler's committee

Opinions differ on almost everything and while many would like things to stay as they are if there is no great clamour for change, it's inevitable that it's going to happen at some time because nothing is perfect.

Across the sporting landscape rule changes happen all the time and here on our on doorstep we witnessed over the past 12 months how Gaelic football has become a game that has been almost totally transformed.

It has gone from being looked at very negatively by those who might be termed hurling snobs because of its often defensive emphasis, 10 or 12 players behind the ball, cumbersome build ups leading to too many low scorelines and so on to being a far better watch now.

The Review Committee, led by former Dublin manager, Jim Gavin put in place by Croke Park to examine what was needed to change, in particular, for those who would not previously have gone across the road to watch a game certainly came up with the goods.

The changes, for the most part, have been widely welcomed across the board, the two pointers being converted from outside the arc being just one of the many positives.

There might still be too much handpasing, lateral or otherwise, going on but in general the new rules have converted the aforementioned hurling snobs.

More changes may be forthcoming if the follow-up review committee, led by Kevin McStay have some of their proposals adopted.

Over the past number of months something similar has been happening with hurling, The Hurling Expert Advisory Group, to give it its proper name under the chair of that great hurling man John Meyler has been doing their bit of business and Croke Park could not have chosen a better man to oversee it.

There would be, of course, a school of thought who see nothing much wrong with how hurling is played presently and whilst the intercounty season that ended in July didn't measure up maybe to previous campaigns, the positives still outweighed the negatives.

And that much-used phrase, 'if it's not broke why fix it.' would still be the thinking of many.

However, everything needs a bit of fixing from time to time and what has been put forward by Meyler's advisory group is very interesting and should be debated positively.

Their package of proposals are to be road-tested next month at third-level college games, the Higher Education Division One League.

What transpires thereafter remains to be seen but glancing through what has been recommended is sure to generate plenty of discussion, positive in a lot of instances.

The handpass, in particular, has been a bone of contention for quite a while, its legality or otherwise.

In a recent interview, former Limerick star Seamus Flanagan admitted that more often than not he threw the ball to a teammate instead of the ball being struck with a definite and clear striking action of the hand. And, let's be honest, that's a regular problem during a game and a referee would need laser eyesight to decide whether it is legitimate or not, it's a bit of a guessing game for them.

The onus now in the experimental rules project to be trialled is on the player to ensure that the handpass is completely legitimate and if a referee or line umpire is in any doubt a free should be awarded against that player.

The difficulty may well remain whether or not a ball is thrown but the group have tried to tighten things up and it's definitely a rule that requires just that.

Another proposal is that just two players should man the middle of the field at the throw-in to start each half, similar to what is now the case in football.

That should brook little argument and it would certainly eradicate what goes on far too often, players shoving and digging at each other before play begins.

It's recommended that 65s are to be taken from the 65 metre line inside the team's own half of the field, increasing the difficulty for the player standing over the ball.

At the top end of the game 65s are far more often than not converted and if they are not it is looked upon as a very good scoring opportunity lost.

Where this column is concerned, it's another recommendation that should be looked at in a positive light.

We come then to another very interesting and discussed quite frequently topic, the awarding of two points for a sideline puck.

This is going to be trialled too on the recommendation of the advisory group.

It reads : Two points will be awarded when a sideline is struck over the crossbar, provided no other player from the player's team has touched the ball.

Many would give the green light for that, others maybe not as enthusiastic but it is certainly worth contemplating.

Glorious

When a sideline is converted it is a score of great beauty, just as a two-pointer in football is when it is struck from outside the arc. It's a great skill from a hurling player and if two points are to be awarded for a certain score in the game, then maybe the strike from the sideline should be the one.

In total, there are 11 experimental rules that are going to be tried out and all of them have had a lot of thought put in by the people involved.

The number of steps taken by a player comes under scrutiny too.

It reads: When a player is in possession of the ball they may carry it in their hand for a maximum of six steps. The current rule allows for four steps.

That certainly has often drawn the ire of supporters and how often during the course of a game have we heard the shout, steps, steps, steps. It's a rule not easy to police for referees and many a big game has been decided by a player over-stepping the mark when a free should have been awarded against him.

Maybe the six-step rule now being advocated by the Advisory Group might contribute to making things clearer.

The number of consecutive handpasses in hurling are going to be examined closely too when the experimental rules are going to be trialled in the Higher Education Division 1 League.

It's clearly obvious that a lot of work, surveys and so on, has been put in by those chosen to try and enhance the game of hurling.

There certainly is not too much wrong with it at the moment but if some of these new rules that have been recommended go to congress, and are adopted, it may well work out for the game's betterment.

At face value and having studied them closely, some of these experimental rules that are going to be road-tested should be looked at positively. We'd all love to see more counties in contention for the big prizes at provincial and national level and to be involved at the business end yearly but that's a story for another day.