Davy Fitzgerald Calls On GAA To Make Seismic Changes To Sideline And Referee Rules

Davy Fitzgerald has called on the GAA to make sweeping reforms to the way inter-county hurling is managed from the sidelines, including the introduction of a coaches’ box system similar to rugby and a structured post-match review process between referees and managers.

Speaking at the launch of Ireland’s Fittest Family, the Clare legend turned Antrim manager believes that the GAA should follow the example of football’s Jim Gavin Review by taking a deep, honest look at how the modern game is run, from areas such as sideline behaviour to referee accountability.

I actually think the whole thing needs to be looked at and have a good discussion on it. Let’s find a ground someplace. Let’s see what can be done, what cannot be done. Let’s just look at it realistically and see what the story is.

It’s nearly hard to think on the sideline.

When you’re down the sideline, you’ve probably 70 or 80,000 people around you. It’s nearly hard to think.

You’re that bit more heated because you’re on the sideline and it’s tense. And the minute you’re that way, you’re a ghost.

Fitzgerald suggests that moving managers to a designated coaches’ box, as in rugby, could help reduce tensions and improve decision-making.

“Like the rugby, you’ve no altercations on the sideline", he said.

"You’re above it, you’re away from it, and you get to see the game. You might be able to make a change or two that can influence it. If you’re up a bit higher, you’ll see the game a small bit better.”

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Beyond the physical position of managers, Davy Fitzgerald has proposed a formal post-game communication process between referees and management teams, one he believes would encourage accountability and understanding on both sides.

He added that GAA referees, like players and coaches, are under immense pressure, and that open dialogue would help build consistency across games:

If I rang you before the game, I could ask what you’ll be watching steps, throws, whatever. Then after the match, on a Monday, I should be able to send on four or five clips and have a call with the referee and an official from Croke Park.

They can talk me through what they saw. There’s accountability. It’s not about roaring or giving out, it’s about communication.

Can a referee make a mistake in a split second? Of course. But is there communication between us and them? Not really. I think we could do better. Referees are a big part of our game, they put in huge preparation too.

Fitzgerald believes referees should be treated like teams themselves, working with the same assistants and umpires regularly to build cohesion and confidence.

“I’d love to see a model like the NFL where a referee has his own team that he knows and trusts," he said.

"They have to be fit, mentally right, and consistent. We should do everything to help them. It’s worth trying."

Ultimately, the Clare man sees his ideas as part of a wider conversation, not a criticism but a call to evolve.

"Every organisation, be it soccer, rugby, whatever, they all have in-depth looks at how things go. I think we should do that too,” he explained.

“Hurling isn’t bad, let’s not go around changing it too much. But can we make it better? Yeah, we can.”