After the opening round of games in the GAA's National Football League, former Meath captain Anthony Moyles spoke on Monday's OTB AM about his first impressions of the advanced mark rule.
The sight of Donegal's Michael Murphy comfortably catching a lofted kick pass and converting the subsequent tap-over a few seconds later may retrospectively signal the moment that the advanced mark rule fell entirely foul of public opinion.
Michael Murphy taking full advantage of the mark to put Donegal back ahead.
LIVE now on eir sport 1! #AllianzLeagues #MatchNightLive pic.twitter.com/BneP97x9ms— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 25, 2020
In an otherwise compelling game between the hosts Donegal and Mayo in Ballybofey, Murphy's point, seamlessly converted though it was to the forward's credit, struck many onlookers as something unseemly and not required within Gaelic football.
"I think it is shocking," surmised Anthony Moyles on Monday's OTB AM, "I think it is absolutely shocking."
While it remains uncertain how the advanced mark rule will develop and be treated by different inter-county sides across the country, Moyles pinpointed the various difficulties that defenders were already having to deal with.
"The thing about the rule change is that not only have things changed for the person receiving the ball," highlighted Moyles, "there's also a change in mindset for the person delivering the ball.
"A lot of guys in the last couple of years have been told, especially when you get it around half-back or midfield, to get it out as quick as you can.
"Exit out of your defence at a breakneck pace, give a handpass and get it back and go to the wings to come back in.
"Now, they have to actually get their head up to deliver a pass. There is a complete change there in mindset and skill required."
25 January 2020; James McCarthy of Dublin in action against Tommy Walsh of Kerry during the Allianz Football League Division 1 Round 1 match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/SportsfileMore problematic still is the issue faced by those defenders charged with marking the likes of Michael Murphy closer to the goal.
Reflecting on his own experience of playing in the International Rules series for Ireland, Moyles, who had some jousts with former Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy in training, recalled being rendered helpless to physically battle a man who was ultimately bigger and stronger than he.
"The defender cannot possibly go and get physical," he reckoned of the task facing defenders in Gaelic football now, "especially if you're on a bigger man, because he just has to push you away - which is not a free - and then the ball is gone."
Giving cause for a more considered approach whereby the defender has to remove himself from any interaction with the attacker until the very moment that a short kicked pass is delivered, the likelihood for success rests more favourably with the forward, nevertheless.
After only one weekend of National Football League action, Anthony Moyles is among those who believe the experiment has already probably failed.
You can watch Anthony Moyles deliver his full assessment of the weekend's action here.
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