Kingussie put forward move to allow all five substitutes to be used
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Kingussie have put forward a proposal relating to the number of substitutes teams can use at the Camanachd Association's AGM this evening at the Highland Cinema in Fort William.
At present, a maximum of five substitutes can be named per team with any three permitted to play during a match except in representative matches where the number permitted to play is four per team.
The Kingussie proposal is simply that all five substitutes named per team be permitted to play except in the representative matches where it would remain at four per team.
The club’s rational is that their proposal allows coaches to play all five substitutes if they wish so no player will arrive at a match without a chance of going on the field to play.
Kingussie manager Iain Borthwick said: “John (Robertson) asked me about this before the proposal was submitted and it makes sense to me.
"If you have four or five substitutes, then you want the option of being able to use them all rather than some not getting a game because the overall number is limited.
“I think this also ties in with the increased use of helmets and faceguards as it can get really hot out there when wearing a helmet during the summer months so you could easily use all five substitutes to give guys a break.”
Kingussie’s proposal requires 75 per cent support from clubs and associations to succeed.
Should the Kingussie proposal fail, proposals from Oban Camanachd and Dunoon Camanachd will be put to the vote with a majority vote sending one of them forward before members to see if it can achieve the 75 per cent pass threshold.
Oban Camanachd’s proposal leaves the rule unchanged for the Mowi Premiership, the Mowi National Division and representative matches but, for area league games, clubs will be permitted to name a maximum of five substitutes with any four permitted to play during a match.
The justification for this proposal is that it enables coaches and managers to rotate their squads more and it enables player progression.
Dunoon Camanachd have also put forward a proposal relating to in matches in North Division 2 and South Division 2 suggesting clubs are permitted to name a maximum of six substitutes of whom no more than three are permitted to be aged 18 or over and all substitutes named are permitted to play.
The club supported their proposal saying the current rule serves well in the higher leagues but, at the lowest levels, it is very rare for substitutes to be in a position to positively influence the game as they are either a young player or a weaker player.
Therefore, permitting additional substitutions will not give an unfair advantage to teams with bigger squads but it will make it very easy for teams to name three young players on their bench if they wish, together with three adults.
Where games are not closely contested, it will afford the opportunity for younger players to gain valuable game time.
