Fair to say it hasn’t been a good year for the AFL. Crowd violence, overbearing security, inconsistent tribunal decisions (seriously what are they smoking), the lack of consistent umpiring, ridiculous knee jerk rule changes … and of course the hot topic of the moment, score reviews.
BigFooty’s Goal Reviews thread >>
It reared it’s head again on Thursday night with Essendon drawing level with GWS following a kick that was signaled a goal and according to some, clearly touched.
It follows on from numerous goal line decisions that have again been completely inconsistent in their interpretations (I repeat the ball must completely clear the line, including the padding of the posts!) and the most clearly touched ball I can recall in my lifetime, during the Collingwood v Fremantle game – that was not even reviewed despite screams from every Collingwood player in the vicinity.
So what is the AFL to do? Clearly the system isn’t working. Actually, it’s 2019 – the system is an unmitigated disaster and a complete embarrassment. We’re not the first to say that and we won’t be the last.
Last Friday on SEN/Macquarie Sports Radio, Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney suggested that we need to leave the score reviews to goal line decisions only. As he correctly stated, the system has worked for 150 years (eg. If the two umpires in the vicinity see or hear a touch they call it or otherwise it stands) – and yep, mistakes have and will be made. But even the goal line decisions have been inconsistent – and wrong.
Another suggestion by a caller to SEN radio was that each team should have the option to request a single score review per quarter. This would have categorically fixed the Collingwood/Fremantle issue but not so much last night’s decision – given we’re yet to see an angle that categorically shows the ball being touched. Andy Maher, and half of Twitter, it would seem, are adamant it was touched. Me personally, I can’t see it. Maybe a finger nail. Maybe. Or perhaps I didn’t see the right camera angle – like the AFL score review staffer claimed a few weeks ago!
Either way the challenge system isn’t a bad option. At least that way when players are screaming that they touched it there is an avenue to appeal (and we all know sometimes that’s a complete crock of you-know-what or perhaps they touched the boot after the ball left). If teams were limited to one challenge a quarter that will also limit frivolous attempts to dupe umpires (and fans). Of course this still allows for mistakes because once that challenge has been made that’s it for the quarter. Or do we take the NFL approach and if the appeal is successful then the team gets another challenge for that quarter? As fans we’re not overly fond of anything that delays the game for too long so this would have to be handled carefully. On the other hand how many instances like these happen in the average game? In many games not even once.
Put simply the video footage is too grainy in most cases. Check the screenshots of recent contentious score reviews. It’s clear as they rewind and slow-mo their way through it that unless the ball practically breaks a players fingers it’s sometimes impossible to tell.
Are we being too perfectionist? This is where the betting fraternity are likely to rise up and say – “but there’s too much at stake”, “too much money bet to get it wrong”. Should we even care? I don’t mind the odd flutter either but should we be allowing betting interests to dictate anything related to footy. That’s dangerous territory if you ask me.
How is it possible that in a day and age where swimming can have an virtual line that follows the world record time and NFL broadcasts overlay a line showing where the line of scrimmage is, that the AFL can be such a joke in so many respects. Gil and his cohort are paid millions to look after “our” game.
Clearly the technology exists but the AFL (or is that the AwFuL in this instance?) aren’t willing to stump up the cash. They want broadcasters to pay the introduce the technology. Again a ridiculous situation.
One thing’s for sure, fans and the media are spending way too much time talking about these peripheral (almost always negative) issues. There is (or was that was) so much to love about Aussie Rules. The high flying marks, the brutal hits and the amazing goals (nod to you Mr Betts).
Thankfully we have performances like the Blues on Sunday or Kangaroos and Dogs on Saturday night to keep some feel good stories coming through.
Let’s hope one way or another the AFL can find a way to fix this ridiculous mess so we can get back to talk about our great game in a positive light.
