Defeat of anti-grants motion good news

Not surprised that a motion proposed by a Dublin club opposing the players’ grants scheme was roundly beaten.
I think this is a sign of things to come at Congress.
As I have argued before the grants scheme is a way of managing the ever-more professional approach taken to our games without destroying the whole structure.
This is a period of huge change for Gaelic Games, I believe we have to manage it rather than dig in or put our heads in the sand and hope that the changes aren’t going to happen.
The Association has come up with a way of managing the Irish government scheme, which sees our players treated on an equal basis with other Irish sportsmen and women.
Some opponents of the scheme have chosen to oppose the changes on a legal basis but I don’t think this is any strategy at all.
There is already a huge amount of shamateurism in our games and if we can pay ‘expenses’ to bar staff, groundsmen, kit men and women, managers, physios, doctors, trainers and coaches then the grants proposed in the scheme aren’t going to propel us into a professional free for all like rugby or soccer.
I hope the scheme is adopted by Congress, if it isn’t this time around it surely will be in the future as it will be better for the association as a whole if we grasp the nettle.