Opinion Should the AFL introduce a video review option for the players?

[GC2015]

In less than two weeks we've seen two questionable umpiring decisions late in games that have quite possibly cost both Fremantle and Adelaide wins against Carlton and Essendon. The AFL already admitted that the umpires got the Cottrell mark wrong and most commentators seem to think that Draper diving on the loose ball should have resulted in a Crows free kick 25m out from goal on a slight angle. In both cases you can see the Fremantle and Adelaide players desperately pleading their case to the umpire/s and nothing comes of it. The technology required to overrule umpiring decisions like these does appear to exist in both scenarios based on footage that's become available. So it's really just a case of whether the AFL wants to allow players to challenge umpiring decisions in real time. The trade off is that we'll likely see more delays late in games.

So, based on available evidence, do you believe a video review challenge option for the players would have prevented these controversial endings to games? If so, should the AFL implement a challenge mechanism for the players in order to avoid these types of situations in future? Personally, I can't help but think about the outrage that would ensue if this were to happen in a final, or even a Grand Final, and that alone has me thinking it's probably a good idea to implement it.

 

[The 747]

The goal reviews are bad enough already.

 

[SC_Power]

In less than two weeks we've seen two questionable umpiring decisions late in games that have quite possibly cost both Fremantle and Adelaide wins against Carlton and Essendon. The AFL already admitted that the umpires got the Cottrell mark wrong and most commentators seem to think that Draper diving on the loose ball should have resulted in a Crows free kick 25m out from goal on a slight angle. In both cases you can see the Fremantle and Adelaide players desperately pleading their case to the umpire/s and nothing comes of it. The technology required to overrule umpiring decisions like these does appear to exist in both scenarios based on footage that's become available. So it's really just a case of whether the AFL wants to allow players to challenge umpiring decisions in real time. The trade off is that we'll likely see more delays late in games.

So, based on available evidence, do you believe a video review challenge option for the players would have prevented these controversial endings to games? If so, should the AFL implement a challenge mechanism for the players in order to avoid these types of situations in future? Personally, I can't help but think about the outrage that would ensue if this were to happen in a final, or even a Grand Final, and that alone has me thinking it's probably a good idea to implement it.

If you want to learn from cricket,

Do you reckon that any team would have a review left with 10 secs to go in a game?

 

[Cleavy]

more air time for AFL sponsors like Crypto

 

[D-N-R]

I have advocated for some time that goal reviews should be player driven.

Let the umpires make a decision and if players feel they have been wronged, let them challenge.

2 score challenges a game. It could even be one and if you win you keep it.

I would not support challenges to on field decisions.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

I think it has merit.
With the AFL introducing rules to penalise umpire abuse there needs to be a system implemented to allow respectful challenges of decisions or it simply becomes a situation where umpires are above reproach and can do as they please which isnt ideal either.

 

[basashi]

I think in concept it is a good idea BUT the league is not capable of administering it fairly. We get dodgy decisions now and the justification is simply a "fog of war" defence. eg "It was all noisy and busy and I had to make an urgent decision!"

If the AFL has video reviews they will still deliver dodgy results but the look will be much worse because the "fog of war" defence will be gone.

Its obvious that it was a free kick to Adelaide but if you gave the AFL ten chances they would try to not pay it each time.

 

[Purple7x08_24]

100% NO

How detailed do you want it to get?

This is nothing new, why such a fuss now

 

[CrowToon]

The biggest issue is the last 5 mins of every game where umpires put the whistle away. Commentators speak about this every game.

Dont make it captain's calls just make it that in the last 5 mins of the game every decision is reviewed. That will empower umpires to make the decisions safe in the knowledge that if its a howler that the call can be overturned.

"But why is a free kick at the end of the game more important than one earlier?"
It isn't, but the review process acknowledges that a decision late on doesn't have the time to be mitigated like a decision made early on does.

"Won't this slow down the game?"
Not by much. Other world sports have it and it's not ridiculous. Besides, is integrity more or less important than your entertainment?

"Surely there are other ways"
Yeah, we can try professionalising the umpires. AFL are morons.

 

[Mr Meow]

The biggest issue is the last 5 mins of every game where umpires put the whistle away. Commentators speak about this every game.

Dont make it captain's calls just make it that in the last 5 mins of the game every decision is reviewed. That will empower umpires to make the decisions safe in the knowledge that if its a howler that the call can be overturned.

"But why is a free kick at the end of the game more important than one earlier?"
It isn't, but the review process acknowledges that a decision late on doesn't have the time to be mitigated like a decision made early on does.

"Won't this slow down the game?"
Not by much. Other world sports have it and it's not ridiculous. Besides, is integrity more or less important than your entertainment?

"Surely there are other ways"
Yeah, we can try professionalising the umpires. AFL are morons.

It won't slow down the match by much? You've got to be kidding.

In soccer it's only used in the rare events of a goal (in some instances), iffy challenge in the box or a red card-ish tackle. And it has still really soured a lot of fans because of just how many situations are reviewed at length.

Cricket is already really slow.

It absolutely would not work in football and it would be 1000x worse than the goal reviews - which at least are just adding time to what is already a stoppage.

 

[Upgrayedd]

The Freo one was a bit of a freak accident, on replay its clear but its kinda hard to make that judgement split second.

Draper jumping on it and the umpire right there is disgusting and I dont think he should be on the field next week

 

[CrowToon]

It won't slow down the match by much? You've got to be kidding.

In soccer it's only used in the very rare events of the ball hitting the back of the net (in some instances) or a red card-ish tackle. And it has still really soured a lot of fans because of just how many goals are reviewed at length.

Cricket is already really slow.

It absolutely would not work in football and it would be 1000x worse than the goal reviews - which at least are just adding time to what is already a stoppage.

Soccer has extra time because the ref has to make tje final call so its reviewed and then the ref comes over and has his own look.

Faster in other sports where they are just old by the reviewer. It wouldn't take long to review a decision if we had a robust way to do it and the investment in camers to boot.

 

[Handsuper47]

No need it would just add more confusion to the game - and to add, if you're talking about last night's game where the Draper decision was "not paid", maybe you should consider the fact that Adelaide had multiple chances to seal the game last night and they didn't. Not only that but if you watch the footage in either reverse or slow motion you can see Taylor Walker

13

Taylor Walker

Age

34

Ht

192cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

5.7

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

6.4

3star

HB

1.6

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.6

5star

not called for holding the ball and if you watch the last few minutes you would think there was a sniper in the crowd the way the Crows players were acting. Kinda crazy how many people love to be outraged and don't watch football.

 

[Mr Meow]

Soccer has extra time because the ref has to make tje final call so its reviewed and then the ref comes over and has his own look.

Faster in other sports where they are just old by the reviewer. It wouldn't take long to review a decision if we had a robust way to do it and the investment in camers to boot.

Way, way too much action for it to work with in the chaos of Australian football. There are umpire decisions or non decisions to make every few seconds. There is absolutely no way you could review an incident quickly in real time as the game is flowing.

It is actually one of the stupidest ideas I've heard in a long, long time. Goal reviews, as tedious as they are when the goal umpires are scared kittens, are grounded in a logic that still (sort of) works with the game. On field reviews would destroy the spectacle.

I would rather watch Geelong lose 20 matches in a row by less than a goal with an awful decision at the end deciding the match.

 

[Underarm]

The biggest issue is the last 5 mins of every game where umpires put the whistle away. Commentators speak about this every game.

Commentators say a lot of dribble. Doesn't make it true.

Dont make it captain's calls just make it that in the last 5 mins of the game every decision is reviewed. That will empower umpires to make the decisions safe in the knowledge that if its a howler that the call can be overturned.

Congratulations, you just ruined Football.

"Won't this slow down the game?"
Not by much. Other world sports have it and it's not ridiculous. Besides, is integrity more or less important than your entertainment?

I've seen final 15 minutes of NFL games go for 45 minutes because of referee challenges.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Draper call was right. He dove on it, it came out without anyone tackling him. Hes not in possession anymore. Tex tucked it back in. Draper can laugh all he wants, and its lucky the ump didnt incorrectly pay it as they often do but it was the right call.

 

[CrowToon]

I've seen final 15 minutes of NFL games go for 45 minutes because of referee challenges.

The final 15 minutes as in the whole last qtr? The sport is not designed to last 15 minutes of actual time. Oh boy you've just outed yourself as ignorant big time.

 

[SC_Power]

I've seen final 15 minutes of NFL games go for 45 minutes because of referee challenges.

So, goes for an extra 3 mins then?

 

[BF Tiger]

The situation last night at the end of the game wasn’t helped by having 30 or so players all within 25 metres of the ball. I’d rather see some zones introduced to reduce that congestion which would make it more likely for play to flow and easier for umpires to make decisions.

 

[SC_Power]

Draper call was right. He dove on it, it came out without anyone tackling him. Hes not in possession anymore. Tex tucked it back in. Draper can laugh all he wants, and its lucky the ump didnt incorrectly pay it as they often do but it was the right call.

If Taylor Walker had his time over, he would have just grabbed Drapers jumper, not locked it in.

Have seen a video from ammo’s football like this, it is just the funniest.

 

[CrowToon]

Way, way too much action for it to work with in the chaos of Australian football. There are umpire decisions or non decisions to make every few seconds. There is absolutely no way you could review an incident quickly in real time as the game is flowing.

It is actually one of the stupidest ideas I've heard in a long, long time. Goal reviews, as tedious as they are when the goal umpires are scared kittens, are grounded in a logic that still (sort of) works with the game. On field reviews would destroy the spectacle.

I would rather watch Geelong lose 20 matches in a row by less than a goal with an awful decision at the end deciding the match.

I dont think we will ever agree. Maybe its a generational thing. Reviews haven't been detrimental to the game. The only people whinging are the old men yelling at clouds.

 

[Mr Meow]

I dont think we will ever agree. Maybe its a generational thing. Reviews haven't been detrimental to the game. The only people whinging are the old men yelling at clouds.

This is ironic as I've never seen someone whinge as much as you have over the past day.

You want 100 incidents reviewed over the last 5 minutes of every game? Use your brain, honestly.

And I'm not one who really cares about the goal reviews that much. They can be handy if used correctly.

 

[Underarm]

The final 15 minutes as in the whole last qtr? The sport is not designed to last 15 minutes of actual time. Oh boy you've just outed yourself as ignorant big time.

WIthout breaks the final quarter of an NFL game would take about 30 minutes. They added 15 minutes because they checked 2 controversial decisions.

AFL umpires make decisions every 5 seconds. You want to go to a Review every 5 seconds in the final 5 minutes?

 

[Mr Meow]

So, goes for an extra 3 mins then?

Exactly, it is a sport that operates by a stoppage after every 5 seconds of play. So is cricket.

Soccer is different but the reviews are still mostly also after a stoppage (goal) and they are rare events. And no, a ball up or throw in is not a stoppage in the same way. Could you imagine a 2 minute review after every ball up in the last 5 minutes of a game? It would be so, so bad.

 

[Hamingja]

If you are going to give the players challenges you might as well bring in tactical timeouts as well as that is what they would use them as. 1 minute left in the game, 3 points up, challenge remaining, ball punched through for a behind on the line. I'd like to challenge that thanks. Give yourselves 30 seconds to have a breather and set up and make it impossible for the other team to transition coast to coast.