Former Tipperary hurler Shane McGrath says the GAA must abolish water breaks as they are no longer needed. McGrath also believes that too many players are using contact lens problems as an excuse to cause a stoppage in play.
"Water breaks have to go," McGrath said on Balls' GAA Embedded show.
"They're ridiculous at this stage.
"As a 37-year-old playing club hurling, I don't mind them. You get an aul break, but watching inter-county games, and watching the levels of fitness these lads have... The water breaks now, they're just pointless. They're as useful now as a waterproof teabag.
"There is no water being drank at them. If there is, it's very, very little. I have a three-year-old son, and I'd say he would drink more water in the water break than the boys are drinking.
"They don't need it. There are people running marathons for three hours and they take a slug of water now and again. These lads are top athletes. They don't need a water break after 15 or 16 minutes. They'll refuel at half-time anyway.
"It takes the momentum out of the game, it sucks a bit of life out of the game. It's another stoppage that we don't really need. I think 100 per cent that the fans don't want to see it any more.
"They are going to be kept for the All-Ireland final but next year, no more water breaks. There are bottles of water being flung in anyway, if somebody really needs a drink that badly. Science would prove that they don't need a drink that badly for the time they are on the pitch."
9 May 2021; Waterford selector Mikey Bevans speaks to players during a water break during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A Round 1 match against Cork at Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
On the matter of contact lens issues being used as a reason to stop play, McGrath said: "Another thing that's cropped up this year, for a player going down to take the sting out of the game - I don't think it's a coincidence - but everybody seems to have trouble with their contact lenses.
"You watch it now, in most game someone will go down, and it will be a contact lens issue, or a head issue, and what can the referee do? He has to stop the game if it has something to do with the head.
"That's something which has crept into the game, a team gets a run a three or four-point run on you, magically, someone goes down.
"I don't think refs are buying the hamstring thing any more. You go down saying, 'Oh, something in the eye here, contact lens' - I'd say there are lads not even wearing contacts lenses going down.
"Water breaks, please get rid of them, and check who wears glasses before the match to see if they actually wear contact lenses."
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