The GAA’s annual Congress gets underway this evening at Croke Park with some big decisions facing the delegates gathering from across the country and further afield.

The headline motion looks to bring about the most radical reform of the Championship Fixture List since the introduction of the qualifiers.

The ‘Super 8’ proposal would see two round robin groups of four teams play three fixtures to determine who would go on to the All Ireland semi finals. It would also bring forward the playing of the All Ireland Finals into August and provide an extra month to play Club fixtures.

Extra revenue from television and bigger games being played outside of Dublin would be additional benefits but the vote will be close.

It will require a two thirds majority to come into effect for the 2018 season and indications are that this could be achieved but only by a slender margin.

The Club Players Association has come out in opposition, demanding instead that more consideration and time is given to coming up with a solution. There is sense in this but the proposal as it stands would be an improvement and would go a long way to addressing many of the main concerns.

Change is always a gradual process and this step in the right direction should be taken now. If you always wait for everything to be perfect you will be waiting a long time.

Tonight’s first decision will be to elect a new president who will succeed Aoghan O’Fearghail in 12 months time.

There are five runners in this race, more than is normal and the winner will be the first to get to more than 50 per cent of delegates votes.

John Horan from Dublin and Martin Skelly from Longford are seen as front runners though in a 12 month period where elections have thrown up the most unpredictable of results this is a call best left to the delegates. Sean Walsh from kerry, Robert Frost from Clare and Frank Burke from Galway are the other three candidates.

Sport for Business will devote full coverage to the changes brought about at Congress on Monday morning.

The GAA.ie website has a comprehensive guide to all 56 of the motions up for debate, well worth a look.

Let the games commence…