The evolution of the half-forward

Sean O’Hara, a coach from Foreglen, dissects the changing role of the half-forward in gaelic football.

TRADITIONALLY, half-forwards were the major runners on the team. Their job was to connect the midfield and the full forward line, as well as work back and get in for the “dirty ball.” It could be argued they were never as glamorous as the inside forward line. Take a look at Tyrone’s Brian Dooher in the past, covered all areas of the pitch, progressed the ball forward and offered tireless support to his defenders but was never the “star man” of the team.

If we take a look at the modern game, it’s night and day. With players all but deemed professional athletes, space has become tighter and defensive systems more structured and more is demanded of teams, particularly in the half-forward line.

They are often asked to drop deep to dictate the pace of the game, slow things down and then when the time comes, combine with midfielders and half-backs to inject pace into the game to break down a settled defence. Never has this been more evident than in the 2025 All Ireland Final between Kerry and Donegal where Paudie Clifford put on a tactical clinic on Jim McGuinness’ men.

Coming up against one of the most defensively drilled teams Gaelic Football has seen, it was important for Kerry to be patient and use space when the precise moments came.

Paudie did not play as a conventional half-forward that we had become use to seeing, but as a floating playmaker in a”Pirlo esque” role. From dropping deep into midfield to collect the ball, to dashing into the full-forward line to help create overloads, the Fossa man broke Donegal hearts. 76 possessions as a half-forward is almost unheard of for the traditional half-forward. The game was played on his terms.

His decision making proved to be the difference between the sides, not forcing shots from less likely angles or getting caught in possession and turned over, everything Clifford done was the right choice and sent Kerry on their way as champions. He was pulling sweepers out of their comfort zone forcing them to question “Do I follow Paudie or stick with David?” Frankly we don’t know which is worse for a defender!

This flawless performance from Clifford begs the question as to what direction the game is heading in. The modern day half-forward is now;

– Dropping deep to act as a midfielder dictating play.

– Initiating attacks at the right time with pace to break down resolute defences

– Identifying mismatches and creating overloads on one area of the pitch.

– Slowing down the game when necessary.

– Pressing high up when possession is lost.

With the modern evolution of the game in terms of players becoming fitter, stronger and faster it has become essential to treasure every possession of the size five.

New rules have allowed for tighter margins in the game, give away a sloppy turnover and next thing you’ve gave away a two point swing in the game! Managers are now working on limiting these errors and the half-forward line is where we can see this being done the most. It would be rare to see balls pumped into full-forwards anymore, instead it will be carried with caution until the right time where it can be offloaded to a runner with pace off the shoulder, or kicked into an area of space to isolate a defender 1v1.

The evolution of this at club-level is a lot slower but still noticeable. More and more clubs across the country are deploying playmakers in the 10,11 & 12 jerseys to become the “brains of the attack”. Of course skill and conditioning are still crucial but now it needs to be married with game intelligence, decision making and vision.

Paudie Clifford’s performance against Donegal was a preview of how the half-forward is going to be used for many years to come, they are much more than a hard working player in the attack. They have become the playmakers of the side and are the key to unlocking a packed defence. It’s a role that’s combining legs and brain and whilst it’s not measured on a stats sheet, it shows that Game IQ might be the most important metric in Gaelic Football.