General Question- What is a ‘tackle’ in Gaelic Football?

In the end of the day, the tackle is down to your own definition.

One person might call something a tackle and another might not. For what it's worth, the definition the company I'm with uses:

Tackle Attempt – A clear attempt from the defending player to physically hinder the opponent in clean possession of the ball

Block Attempt – A clear attempt from the defending player to block either an opponent’s pass, clearance or shot

Hook Attempt - A clear attempt from the defending player to hook either an opponent’s pass, clearance, solo or shot

It's important then for those definitions to be adhered to for all matches we do

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For what it's worth, Camogie use the rule you've mentioned: 'Personally I would suggest that making the onus on the ball carrier to get rid of the ball before initiating contact'. Unfortunately then it always leads to people berating the ref with the 'what the hell was she supposed to do', but like you said, once the player is in their stride, the onuse should be on them to not 'charge'

Never had any complaints tbh

It's a defintion that's clear and easy to adhere to. Can't be deliberating over every single piece of contact in a live/post-match environment

They then can view every one of them anyway and so far none have ever moaned/complained saying something wasn't a tackle nor have said we have missed loads

It's the same with Opta for Soccer for example - The definitions are basic so there's no confusion

Football and Hurling (excluding the hook from Football)

Just a small example - standing an opposition player in possession up doesn't get tagged as a tackle on our side. That could still be viewed anyway however by viewing 'take-ons' if the person in possession does actually try to take the defending player on and beat them.

Definitions just make everything consistent. The person above that criticised it doesn't take into account that coaches/analysts want quick/easy to understand data. They don't need to be left querying every single event. It's the same with Soccer, Rugby, US Sports etc. Same with shot attempts etc. Definitions have to be stuck by, especially if providing data to Betting companies etc. too who pay big bucks for them.

Cool - what part doesn't make sense in it and I'll try to expand. A free can still be given for barging/overcarry etc, so a tackle may not have been involved. Again, just for our definitions (and we provide to numerous Intercounty and Club teams) are the ones I listed above

How one defends it is indeed a tough one, because you as a defencer are hardly gonna get out of the way to let the person through. By right who should be answering that are the GAA/Officials themselves

It depends on the Ref. And even then it can change from game to game.

There is no official definition of a ‘tackle attempt’ on GAA’s side

There’s what constitutes a foul, but they don’t code/tag tackles, so don’t have a definition

There is no such thing as a tackle in football. It's a dispossession where you must play the ball, not the man. If you go to punch the ball and make contact with the man or hold him, it's a foul.

Its hugely frustrating.

Charging with the ball is a foul in both hurling and football but its rarely enforced. When the ref did so in an AIH final a few years ago to give Tipp a free that could have won the match, Cody went bananas.

Generally you're trying to run with opponent until they play the ball and then dispossess them. You'll often see underage teams very good at this

Or smother them and not allow them play the ball by surrounding with 2/3 players. This is what county teams focus on.

Tackling is all about technique- footwork, timing.

Its a skill i actually enjoy coaching with kids. A good blockdown, steal or intercept can hugely lift a player and team. Very deflating for opponents too as they are unsure if it will happen again

Why should the onus be on the forward to release after getting into such an advanced position.

I'd flip it and put the onus on the defender to sort his feet out and try to read the game. If he thinks the forward is going to go at him, either stand him up or take a step back so you're in a position to stand him up.

Wouldn't be a fan of a "release" rule at all as it would just lead to less scores in a game if the forward has to give up possession.