David Clifford had his best year in a Kerry jersey in 2025 because of a combination of the new rules and a proper break away from the game.
That's according to his manager Jack O'Connor, who has been named the Dalata Hotel Group Gaelic Writers' Association Football Personality of the Year.
The men from the Kingdom recovered from a disappointing 2024, which saw their season ended by Armagh at the last four stage, to win all before them this year.
It started with a record extending National League triumph in March, overcoming Mayo by six points at Croke Park.
Clifford was the player of the match as the Munster men, fittingly, became the first county to claim the new Corn Mhíchíl Uí Mhuircheartaigh.
They followed that with another Munster title, seeing off Clare in Killarney.
Fossa man Clifford top scored with 2-05 as Kerry landed their fifth provincial title on the spin.
2009 revisited as Jack O'Connor lays into Kerry critics
Defeat to Meath in the All-Ireland group stages resulted in a backlash against the team amongst their own supporters, but they were to answers the critics emphatically over the next four games.
Four victories later, and all against Ulster opposition, Kerry were All-Ireland champions for the 39th time.
In those four games, Clifford hit 3-07, 0-07, 1-09 and 0-09 against Cavan, Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal respectively.
"I think it was," O'Connor said when he was asked if this was Clifford's best year for Kerry.
"In the last couple of years he hasn't got a proper break. After winning in 2022, Fossa went all the way to the All-Ireland junior final and won it.
"He didn't have enough of a break. I know he was rested for a while but he still didn't get enough of a break.
"The same was true the following year.
"We made up our mind that winter that he was going to get a proper break so he got the bones of four months by the time he finished his last club game to playing his first start for Kerry which was above in Pomeroy (v Tyrone), he got four months off.
"And that was the first time he had enough time to basically switch off and have enough time to do his own bit of work, to come back and be ready to train properly.
"So it was no wonder he came back really refreshed.
"His first 2025 start in Pomeroy he scored three goals. That was a big factor. He is possibly hitting his prime, 26 years of age.
"He was just in great form this year, in great physical shape. Great mental shape."
2025 saw the introduction of new rules designed to make Gaelic football more pleasing on the eye, after an era where many games were perceived to have been overly cautious and defensive.
These included teams no longer being able to pack their defence to the same extend - the so-called 3v3 rule, as well as the awarding of two-points for scores kicked from outside the 40-metre arc.
For someone like Clifford, who has a near farcical level of natural ability, the opening up of the game was always likely to play to his strengths.
"It suits David Clifford, it suits the teams that are more attack-minded," O'Connor added when asked about the new rules.
"I'm not casting aspersions on anybody but it's a fact that we down here, as in the public, want to see that type of game. Maybe that's why they got so enthused about this year. That we were playing on the front foot, particularly when we went to Croke Park and putting up big scores.
"We kicked 32 points against Armagh in the quarter-final. It suits a lot of teams, if they are that way inclined. We're not the only ones.
"It gave a fella like David Clifford a new lease of life. Inside forwards don't want to be running 100 metres back the field chasing fellas. That's not what they play the game for.
"Inside forwards are playing the game to win ball and kick scores and great scores. That's how they see the game, not chasing fellas back to their own full-back line."
Reflecting on his own, year, which saw the game's most successful county defy the odds in the race for Sam Maguire, O'Connor added: "The one that I found that gave most satisfaction to the people of Kerry and that then gives me the most satisfaction.
"Sure that's why we're in it; first of all to enjoy it and then to give pleasure to people. It is the number one pastime in Kerry, being interested in football.
"So I said it to the lads during the year that we were privileged to be doing something that we love doing. Something that gives such satisfaction to a whole county, sure that's a great pursuit to be involved in.
"From that point of view it probably was the most satisfying but I'll tell you, they're all hard won. 2004 for me personally was a big one because it gave me some credibility. I was replacing a legend like Páidí [Ó Sé].
"As I said before it wouldn't be much good, the county board putting me in to replace Páidí if I hadn't been able to win an All-Ireland. That gave me some credibility and I don't think the other successes would have followed if I hadn't won that one."
Watch the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship final, Na Fianna v Lucan Sarsfields, on Saturday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
