Here’s four talking points as ladies football gears up for change ahead of the new league campaign on 24/25 January.
1) Three players who could kick two-pointers
Hannah Tyrrell is one of the first to spring to mind, but the Dublin sharpshooter has retired from inter-county football.
In a recent interview with The 42, the 2025 LGFA Footballer of the Year admitted that the trial rules could coax her out of retirement if fully-fit.
“Ah, absolutely. (My wife) Sorcha is kind of going, ‘Jesus, I’m glad your ACL is gone and you can’t physically go back!’ It’s definitely tempting.
“I wish obviously they had to come in last year. As a full-forward on a Dublin team that probably played a lot of teams who set up defensively, the ‘three-up’ is a rule I was calling for. I think the ‘solo and go’ is going to be phenomenal. I’m very welcoming of the changes that hopefully will be made with the tackle.
I definitely would have been excited to give the two-point arc a go a couple of times here or there!
“I think they’re only going to be good for the women’s game. We’ve seen the excitement they brought in the men’s game. I really hope that kind of opens things up a little bit. They are only a trial, so who knows what will happen long term.”
Tyrrell’s former Dublin teammate Kate Sullivan is their next highest-scoring forward, and will fancy a crack at being a two-point specialist. Emma Duggan (Meath) and Olivia Divilly (Galway) are other impressive long-range shooters who will relish the challenge, while midfielders and half-forwards may contribute more in the scoring stakes.
The arc is the same as the men, with 40 metres a sizeable kick. It will be interesting to see how, and if, teams will utilise it, particularly in tricky winter and spring conditions. Management teams will undoubtedly monitor the risk/reward ratio early doors. Two points for a ’45 — unique to ladies football — is very rarely seen, will this be a more regular occurrence?
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2) How might new rules affect power rankings?
Dublin are the defending champions. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
This is tricky to assess before a ball is kicked. Looking at the initial evidence from the men’s game, it appears that skilful, passing teams have prospered.
Kerry traditionally have a strong kicking game, and we saw that in full flow on their run to 2025 All-Ireland glory with David Clifford thriving in more space. Donegal’s high-energy running approach also paid dividends as they returned to the showpiece.
More defensive-minded teams seem better suited to the old rules, and may be slightly worried at the prospect of change. They will, of course, adapt and evolve, but that takes time.
Meath were widely viewed as the most defensive ladies football team as they reigned supreme in 2021 and 2022, their counter-attacking threat doing the damage. They weren’t quite as defensive and regimented as they returned to the All-Ireland final last year; Wayne Freeman will be looking to put his own stamp on things as the new manager.
Dublin cemented their status as the dominant force once more with a second All-Ireland in three years, a first under Paul Casey and Derek Murray. The trial rules bring a different dynamic in their second season, but the Dubs look well-equipped to continue to flourish as a high-scoring, running team. How they adjust to changes around the tackle and controlled contact will be interesting: Dublin have been accused of a high level of cynicism, but truthfully, they cleverly exploited outdated and ill-defined rules.
With similar traits to their male counterparts, Kerry should thrive. The enhancements could indeed embolden Galway’s push for a major breakthrough, while Armagh will look to bounce back from 2025 disappointment under the returning Greg McGonigle.
It’s unlikely there’ll be any dramatic change in the top four or five, but time will tell. The ultra-defensive football and negative tactics were mostly seen at intermediate and junior levels; shackles will subsequently be loosened.
3) Engine room emphasis
Nicola Ward on the charge. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Since Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee began implementing changes, we have generally seen faster games and the ball in play more, which increases physical demands.
The ‘solo and go’ allows fouled players to continue on without taking a free kick. Reaction and acceleration are key attributes to reap its rewards, while there will be notably less breaks and hard restarts.
The ‘three-up’ requires teams to maintain at least three outfield players in the opposition’s half of the pitch at all times. This will likely see more intensity, high-speed running and 1 v 1 duels.
Fitness levels must be higher, particularly those of ‘middle eight’ players (half-backs, midfielders and half-forwards) with no place to hide. Power runners like Dublin legend Sinéad Goldrick and Nicola Ward of Galway will be in their element.
The kickout mark will make the battleground around the middle even more exciting, with high fielding rewarded. Increased physicality – or controlled contact – will call for further strength, robustness and balance, posing different questions for strength and conditioning teams over the coming weeks and months.
Game intelligence, too, will be key, with decisions to be made quicker.
4) Entertainment value
Kerry's Emma Costello and Vikki Wall of Meath contest a high ball. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
There has been widespread acclaim since the introduction of the new rules to the men’s game, you’d imagine we will see similar positive impact in ladies football.
A few years back, it was held up as a beacon as many men’s games bordered on unwatchable. The fast, attacking, direct football was a welcome contrast to the lateral and backwards merry-go-rounds forced by blanket defences universally employed by their male counterparts. It soon followed suit, however.
The trial rules should make ladies football better to watch and play. The sole full-forward ploughing a lonely furrow up top, with all 14 of her teammates dragged into their own ’45, will rejoice. So too will the half-forward operating solely in a defensive capacity, and the other flair, instinctive players restricted by rigid and regimented game plans.
If successful, they may even give the booming number of players committing solely to AFLW pause for thought.
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Two-point specialists, power rankings, entertainment value - Ladies football set for trial rules
12 PLAYING RULE enhancements will be trialled during the 2026 Lidl National Football League and Higher Education Colleges competitions.
Here’s four talking points as ladies football gears up for change ahead of the new league campaign on 24/25 January.
1) Three players who could kick two-pointers
Hannah Tyrrell is one of the first to spring to mind, but the Dublin sharpshooter has retired from inter-county football.
In a recent interview with The 42, the 2025 LGFA Footballer of the Year admitted that the trial rules could coax her out of retirement if fully-fit.
“Ah, absolutely. (My wife) Sorcha is kind of going, ‘Jesus, I’m glad your ACL is gone and you can’t physically go back!’ It’s definitely tempting.
“I wish obviously they had to come in last year. As a full-forward on a Dublin team that probably played a lot of teams who set up defensively, the ‘three-up’ is a rule I was calling for. I think the ‘solo and go’ is going to be phenomenal. I’m very welcoming of the changes that hopefully will be made with the tackle.
“I think they’re only going to be good for the women’s game. We’ve seen the excitement they brought in the men’s game. I really hope that kind of opens things up a little bit. They are only a trial, so who knows what will happen long term.”
Tyrrell’s former Dublin teammate Kate Sullivan is their next highest-scoring forward, and will fancy a crack at being a two-point specialist. Emma Duggan (Meath) and Olivia Divilly (Galway) are other impressive long-range shooters who will relish the challenge, while midfielders and half-forwards may contribute more in the scoring stakes.
The arc is the same as the men, with 40 metres a sizeable kick. It will be interesting to see how, and if, teams will utilise it, particularly in tricky winter and spring conditions. Management teams will undoubtedly monitor the risk/reward ratio early doors. Two points for a ’45 — unique to ladies football — is very rarely seen, will this be a more regular occurrence?
2) How might new rules affect power rankings?
This is tricky to assess before a ball is kicked. Looking at the initial evidence from the men’s game, it appears that skilful, passing teams have prospered.
Kerry traditionally have a strong kicking game, and we saw that in full flow on their run to 2025 All-Ireland glory with David Clifford thriving in more space. Donegal’s high-energy running approach also paid dividends as they returned to the showpiece.
More defensive-minded teams seem better suited to the old rules, and may be slightly worried at the prospect of change. They will, of course, adapt and evolve, but that takes time.
Meath were widely viewed as the most defensive ladies football team as they reigned supreme in 2021 and 2022, their counter-attacking threat doing the damage. They weren’t quite as defensive and regimented as they returned to the All-Ireland final last year; Wayne Freeman will be looking to put his own stamp on things as the new manager.
Dublin cemented their status as the dominant force once more with a second All-Ireland in three years, a first under Paul Casey and Derek Murray. The trial rules bring a different dynamic in their second season, but the Dubs look well-equipped to continue to flourish as a high-scoring, running team. How they adjust to changes around the tackle and controlled contact will be interesting: Dublin have been accused of a high level of cynicism, but truthfully, they cleverly exploited outdated and ill-defined rules.
With similar traits to their male counterparts, Kerry should thrive. The enhancements could indeed embolden Galway’s push for a major breakthrough, while Armagh will look to bounce back from 2025 disappointment under the returning Greg McGonigle.
It’s unlikely there’ll be any dramatic change in the top four or five, but time will tell. The ultra-defensive football and negative tactics were mostly seen at intermediate and junior levels; shackles will subsequently be loosened.
3) Engine room emphasis
Since Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee began implementing changes, we have generally seen faster games and the ball in play more, which increases physical demands.
The ‘solo and go’ allows fouled players to continue on without taking a free kick. Reaction and acceleration are key attributes to reap its rewards, while there will be notably less breaks and hard restarts.
The ‘three-up’ requires teams to maintain at least three outfield players in the opposition’s half of the pitch at all times. This will likely see more intensity, high-speed running and 1 v 1 duels.
Fitness levels must be higher, particularly those of ‘middle eight’ players (half-backs, midfielders and half-forwards) with no place to hide. Power runners like Dublin legend Sinéad Goldrick and Nicola Ward of Galway will be in their element.
The kickout mark will make the battleground around the middle even more exciting, with high fielding rewarded. Increased physicality – or controlled contact – will call for further strength, robustness and balance, posing different questions for strength and conditioning teams over the coming weeks and months.
Game intelligence, too, will be key, with decisions to be made quicker.
4) Entertainment value
There has been widespread acclaim since the introduction of the new rules to the men’s game, you’d imagine we will see similar positive impact in ladies football.
A few years back, it was held up as a beacon as many men’s games bordered on unwatchable. The fast, attacking, direct football was a welcome contrast to the lateral and backwards merry-go-rounds forced by blanket defences universally employed by their male counterparts. It soon followed suit, however.
The trial rules should make ladies football better to watch and play. The sole full-forward ploughing a lonely furrow up top, with all 14 of her teammates dragged into their own ’45, will rejoice. So too will the half-forward operating solely in a defensive capacity, and the other flair, instinctive players restricted by rigid and regimented game plans.
If successful, they may even give the booming number of players committing solely to AFLW pause for thought.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
GAA Ladies Football LGFA Talking Points