Attacking players will revel in a looser defensive landscape - Colm McFadden

Colm McFadden expects Gaelic football’s top forwards to take full advantage of the extra time and space that the new playing rules are going to offer this season.

The 2012 All-Ireland winner says the game’s main marksmen, the ones that were still sourcing pockets inside old mass defences, will find the sudden change in scenery so much looser.

And the Donegal forwards coach is more than content with the variety and indeed depth of talent he’s currently working with alongside Jim McGuinness and the rest of his backroom team. 

The likes of Oisin Gallen, Patrick McBrearty, Jamie Brennan and the returning Micheal Murphy will all be licking their lips at the prospect of the ‘three up at all times’ rule. 

But the younger lads coming through, as well as those on the fringes, might also view the seismic repackaging of Gaelic football as an accelerated opportunity to really showcase what they’re about too. 

Eoghan McGettigan is back in the ranks this term following injury while fledgling attackers like Seanan Carr, Luke McGlynn and KJ Molloy won’t - in the coming seasons - have to look to earn their inter-county stripes in those old claustrophobic defensive surroundings.  

“Even under the old rules, looking at those lads you’ve just mentioned, they are players that as they mature and progress would still be offering serious threats,” said McFadden.  

“But those pacey sort of smaller forwards are hard to handle for a variety of reasons. Quick ball inside will present contests now, those one-on-one situations. 

“We’re lucky in Donegal that we have real depth and quality in attack. The real challenge presented now will be for that middle block of 11 looking to defend. The pitch has become a lot bigger all of a sudden around that area.

“Sides had already done so much work, especially in the last five years, at looking to stretch the game and create space there. 

“With lessor numbers in that same area now, teams will look to do even more damage and create even more scoring opportunities. 

“The way football had gone, players have already become so much better in tighter spaces. So the players we just talked about - with less bodies and traffic coming back - will all hopefully do even more damage on the scoreboard”.