Resource Technology and the AFL

[RussellEbertHandball]

Thought I start this thread as the AFL made it clear last year they are investing in technology to help solve some of the games controversial issues, and to keep in one place what the hell they are actually doing.

Here is a copy of what I wrote in the General AFL thread part 25 last September.

Technology will be the buzz word in 2024 and 2025 in the AFL.

Laura Kane on getting the job as head of footy department last Monday - full title, Executive General Manager of Football - said her aims were;

Kane listed higher scoring and quicker ball movement in the AFLW competition among her priorities and promised to invest in technology across both competitions to “understand more about our game” and what can be automated when the game is happening in real time using ball-tracking technology.


Last Wednesday night, McGuire revealed the following on Footy Classified, and he is involved in progressing this via his Jam TV company. To be fair, McGuire has been banging on about technology and the footy in particular, for years - red balls aren't kicked in, yellow balls are too slippery with whatever they use to coat the ball yellow, advertising logo printed on ball sometimes affects feel of the ball etc. He says David Hill is involved in development and implementation of this technology.

David Hill being involved, gives me a lot of confidence they might finally get this right. Hill was the executive producer of World Series Cricket then all of 9's big sports coverage, went to work for Murdoch when he set up SKY satellite service in UK and then when 2 satellite companies losing big $$ merger happened, new company was BSKYB and they got the rights for the first season of the EPL in 1992/93 after putting in a huge bid offer, he became the executive producer of their soccer coverage. Murdoch then moved him to LA when Fox Sports in US won the NFL rights for the first time in 1994, when there was a great fear the then small Fox network might * up the NFC package they had outbid others for. David Hill has lead innovations wherever he has gone, that became industry standards world wide. He left Fox in 2015 to start up his own production company that concentrates on live events, be it sports, music or general entertainment.

Laura Kane talks about her desire to drive the technology aspect, between 0.50 and 1.30 in the video below.





Dwayne Russell spoke to an AI technology expert Steve Sammartino at the start of August and what general as well as AI technology could be introduced to the sports and with a focus on AFL, and how soon. Steve reckons in the future, clubs will have a specialist AI coach. It will be used in game, in recruiting etc. Might be an AI arms race soon. The soft cap limit might not be able to stop it, especially if clubs partner up with AI technology companies and the expenditure sits off the clubs' books. Its a bloody interesting interview.


The Apple Podcast link has expired and been taken down. Will try and find an alternative link.
Edit you can listen to program at following link, just hit the pink play button on RHS middle of the first screen.

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August by SEN Afternoons

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August from SEN Afternoons on Podchaser, aired Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino speaks to Dwayne about how it could …

www.podchaser.com

Laura Kane yesterday talked about the trials the AFL has been doing with technology at her presser about rule and interpretation changes for 2024, and repeated it on the breakfast show SEN this morning.

‘Can pick that up’: Ball tracking to help goal review system is closer than ever to being introduced in AFL

‘Instant’ tech to prevent howlers working ‘tremendously well’ as AFL reveals next steps

www.foxsports.com.au

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

“We’ve had it in AFL men’s pre-season training over the last couple of months. Clubs have been using (microchipped balls) mixed in with their normal Sherrins and we’ll have a look whether state league or AFLW or VFLW is the best way to go with introducing that technology.”

Kane said the system was designed so that anything that impacted the flight of the ball could be detected, including whether it hits a goalpost when it crosses the line.

Replays showed it was a goal, and with the new technology, that error would be picked up.

“In terms of score review, it centres around what the ball touches and what lines it crosses,” Kane told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s quite good in terms of tracking when the ball crosses the line and if anything has happened to the ball when it crosses the line, say a slight finger or a post brush, it can pick that up.

“The technology is instant and tells our officials what’s happened.

“We just need to work out how much testing we need to do to be confident to use that technology in officiating. We have already used it in a data collection from a game analysis perspective.”

 

[shewho]

Can someone just hurry the **** up and invent a way for me to track where my golf ball went?

AFL goal umpires must be the most incompetent of all officials in world sport- they have one rather simple job to do. Yet we are about to invest tens of millions into cutting edge technology, because we can’t trust these idiots to get even that right.

Meanwhile, AFL field umpires have the hardest job in world sport, trying to pick up infringements from a fast moving 360 degree game, usually with 36 players jammed into one half of the playing field and to apply ever changing rules and interpretations which are so widely open that even those who have played or officiated for 50 years cannot tell you the real difference between “prior opportunity“and “no prior opportunity”, a “push in the back” and “permissible pressure from behind“, a “mark“ and ‘failure to sufficiently control the ball” (the basic rules that require officiating upwards of 100 times a quarter) all while running 15 km, often at pace and backwards in less than 2 hours- yet we offer these poor low lifes no technological assistance at all, not even the benefit of a video review when at the end of their 2 hour ordeal they are required to make a split second judgement call, while exhausted, peering through a crowded pack of moving bodies, that effectively determines the outcome of the entire game!

Maybe the AFL knows too well that field umpires are all bald, dishonest, maggots and that no measure of technological assistance will stop them cheating their way to manufacturing whatever result their dark and empty souls desire.

 

[TeeKray]

Goal umpiring in AFL is one of the most useless jobs in the world. Literally just signal the obvious scores that anyone with eyes can see from anywhere and then send anything remotely close upstairs. Just get rid of them and have the field umpires do exactly the same thing, it won't make any difference whatsoever and would save millions that they can put towards a proper score review system.

 

[jakey]

Lol at the AFLs testing involving what appears to be papier mache and packing tape.

 

[Relativity]

I can envisage AFL clubs employing AI technology to get around AI generated rules.
Feck sport we should have an AI League.

 

[longdonkey]

I could see Hinkley using AI and AI telling him that Geelong, that the ball will go behind congestion 84% and leave the front of the contest open. 10 goals later he will move somebody to guard the hole.

 

[Duck Farmer]

AFL investigating next gen goal cam technology.

 

[VineValerian]

Thought I start this thread as the AFL made it clear last year they are investing in technology to help solve some of the games controversial issues, and to keep in one place what the hell they are actually doing.

Here is a copy of what I wrote in the General AFL thread part 25 last September.

Technology will be the buzz word in 2024 and 2025 in the AFL.

Laura Kane on getting the job as head of footy department last Monday - full title, Executive General Manager of Football - said her aims were;

Kane listed higher scoring and quicker ball movement in the AFLW competition among her priorities and promised to invest in technology across both competitions to “understand more about our game” and what can be automated when the game is happening in real time using ball-tracking technology.


Last Wednesday night, McGuire revealed the following on Footy Classified, and he is involved in progressing this via his Jam TV company. To be fair, McGuire has been banging on about technology and the footy in particular, for years - red balls aren't kicked in, yellow balls are too slippery with whatever they use to coat the ball yellow, advertising logo printed on ball sometimes affects feel of the ball etc. He says David Hill is involved in development and implementation of this technology.

David Hill being involved, gives me a lot of confidence they might finally get this right. Hill was the executive producer of World Series Cricket then all of 9's big sports coverage, went to work for Murdoch when he set up SKY satellite service in UK and then when 2 satellite companies losing big $$ merger happened, new company was BSKYB and they got the rights for the first season of the EPL in 1992/93 after putting in a huge bid offer, he became the executive producer of their soccer coverage. Murdoch then moved him to LA when Fox Sports in US won the NFL rights for the first time in 1994, when there was a great fear the then small Fox network might * up the NFC package they had outbid others for. David Hill has lead innovations wherever he has gone, that became industry standards world wide. He left Fox in 2015 to start up his own production company that concentrates on live events, be it sports, music or general entertainment.

Laura Kane talks about her desire to drive the technology aspect, between 0.50 and 1.30 in the video below.





Dwayne Russell spoke to an AI technology expert Steve Sammartino at the start of August and what general as well as AI technology could be introduced to the sports and with a focus on AFL, and how soon. Steve reckons in the future, clubs will have a specialist AI coach. It will be used in game, in recruiting etc. Might be an AI arms race soon. The soft cap limit might not be able to stop it, especially if clubs partner up with AI technology companies and the expenditure sits off the clubs' books. Its a bloody interesting interview.


The Apple Podcast link has expired and been taken down. Will try and find an alternative link.
Edit you can listen to program at following link, just hit the pink play button on RHS middle of the first screen.

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August by SEN Afternoons

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August from SEN Afternoons on Podchaser, aired Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino speaks to Dwayne about how it could …

www.podchaser.com

Laura Kane yesterday talked about the trials the AFL has been doing with technology at her presser about rule and interpretation changes for 2024, and repeated it on the breakfast show SEN this morning.

‘Can pick that up’: Ball tracking to help goal review system is closer than ever to being introduced in AFL

‘Instant’ tech to prevent howlers working ‘tremendously well’ as AFL reveals next steps

www.foxsports.com.au

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

“We’ve had it in AFL men’s pre-season training over the last couple of months. Clubs have been using (microchipped balls) mixed in with their normal Sherrins and we’ll have a look whether state league or AFLW or VFLW is the best way to go with introducing that technology.”

Kane said the system was designed so that anything that impacted the flight of the ball could be detected, including whether it hits a goalpost when it crosses the line.

Replays showed it was a goal, and with the new technology, that error would be picked up.

“In terms of score review, it centres around what the ball touches and what lines it crosses,” Kane told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s quite good in terms of tracking when the ball crosses the line and if anything has happened to the ball when it crosses the line, say a slight finger or a post brush, it can pick that up.

“The technology is instant and tells our officials what’s happened.

“We just need to work out how much testing we need to do to be confident to use that technology in officiating. We have already used it in a data collection from a game analysis perspective.”

Goddamned new fangled tecknollijee.
Things just ain't what they used ter be!

 

[snozulu]

Can someone just hurry the **** up and invent a way for me to track where my golf ball went?

AFL goal umpires must be the most incompetent of all officials in world sport- they have one rather simple job to do. Yet we are about to invest tens of millions into cutting edge technology, because we can’t trust these idiots to get even that right.

Meanwhile, AFL field umpires have the hardest job in world sport, trying to pick up infringements from a fast moving 360 degree game, usually with 36 players jammed into one half of the playing field and to apply ever changing rules and interpretations which are so widely open that even those who have played or officiated for 50 years cannot tell you the real difference between “prior opportunity“and “no prior opportunity”, a “push in the back” and “permissible pressure from behind“, a “mark“ and ‘failure to sufficiently control the ball” (the basic rules that require officiating upwards of 100 times a quarter) all while running 15 km, often at pace and backwards in less than 2 hours- yet we offer these poor low lifes no technological assistance at all, not even the benefit of a video review when at the end of their 2 hour ordeal they are required to make a split second judgement call, while exhausted, peering through a crowded pack of moving bodies, that effectively determines the outcome of the entire game!

Maybe the AFL knows too well that field umpires are all bald, dishonest, maggots and that no measure of technological assistance will stop them cheating their way to manufacturing whatever result their dark and empty souls desire.

Umpires remind me of parking inspectors for some reason

 

[It Just Is]

I‘m not a sporting technophobe but I trust the AFL propaganda machine like I trust the Chinese Communist Party.

I’m yet to see any explanation as to what ‘AFL Edge’ actually does and why I should be comfortable that it works with a high degree of accuracy. Watch ultra edge in the cricket, it reflects that there are constant noices, and a snick is a short sharper spike. Edge is variously a dead snake or the heartbeat of a coke head. Cricket is closer to a closed environment as well with a smaller area where the noice could come from and there aren‘t 36 fielders and an umpire who could be running into the sticks are the same time the ball passes.

 

[GremioPower]

Thought I start this thread as the AFL made it clear last year they are investing in technology to help solve some of the games controversial issues, and to keep in one place what the hell they are actually doing.

Here is a copy of what I wrote in the General AFL thread part 25 last September.

Technology will be the buzz word in 2024 and 2025 in the AFL.

Laura Kane on getting the job as head of footy department last Monday - full title, Executive General Manager of Football - said her aims were;

Kane listed higher scoring and quicker ball movement in the AFLW competition among her priorities and promised to invest in technology across both competitions to “understand more about our game” and what can be automated when the game is happening in real time using ball-tracking technology.


Last Wednesday night, McGuire revealed the following on Footy Classified, and he is involved in progressing this via his Jam TV company. To be fair, McGuire has been banging on about technology and the footy in particular, for years - red balls aren't kicked in, yellow balls are too slippery with whatever they use to coat the ball yellow, advertising logo printed on ball sometimes affects feel of the ball etc. He says David Hill is involved in development and implementation of this technology.

David Hill being involved, gives me a lot of confidence they might finally get this right. Hill was the executive producer of World Series Cricket then all of 9's big sports coverage, went to work for Murdoch when he set up SKY satellite service in UK and then when 2 satellite companies losing big $$ merger happened, new company was BSKYB and they got the rights for the first season of the EPL in 1992/93 after putting in a huge bid offer, he became the executive producer of their soccer coverage. Murdoch then moved him to LA when Fox Sports in US won the NFL rights for the first time in 1994, when there was a great fear the then small Fox network might * up the NFC package they had outbid others for. David Hill has lead innovations wherever he has gone, that became industry standards world wide. He left Fox in 2015 to start up his own production company that concentrates on live events, be it sports, music or general entertainment.

Laura Kane talks about her desire to drive the technology aspect, between 0.50 and 1.30 in the video below.





Dwayne Russell spoke to an AI technology expert Steve Sammartino at the start of August and what general as well as AI technology could be introduced to the sports and with a focus on AFL, and how soon. Steve reckons in the future, clubs will have a specialist AI coach. It will be used in game, in recruiting etc. Might be an AI arms race soon. The soft cap limit might not be able to stop it, especially if clubs partner up with AI technology companies and the expenditure sits off the clubs' books. Its a bloody interesting interview.


The Apple Podcast link has expired and been taken down. Will try and find an alternative link.
Edit you can listen to program at following link, just hit the pink play button on RHS middle of the first screen.

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August by SEN Afternoons

How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino on Dwayne's World - Wednesday 2nd August from SEN Afternoons on Podchaser, aired Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.How will AI technology impact sport? Futurist and AI expert Steve Sammartino speaks to Dwayne about how it could …

www.podchaser.com

Laura Kane yesterday talked about the trials the AFL has been doing with technology at her presser about rule and interpretation changes for 2024, and repeated it on the breakfast show SEN this morning.

‘Can pick that up’: Ball tracking to help goal review system is closer than ever to being introduced in AFL

‘Instant’ tech to prevent howlers working ‘tremendously well’ as AFL reveals next steps

www.foxsports.com.au

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

League football boss Laura Kane confirmed the technology had been tested at Marvel Stadium and club training sessions with microchipped footballs, with hopes the system could be introduced into the premiership season sooner rather than later.

That introduction could begin with trials in state-league competitions or the AFL, with Kane declaring the league is confident in the technology having gone on a worldwide research tour and seeing it in use.

“We’ve had it in AFL men’s pre-season training over the last couple of months. Clubs have been using (microchipped balls) mixed in with their normal Sherrins and we’ll have a look whether state league or AFLW or VFLW is the best way to go with introducing that technology.”

Kane said the system was designed so that anything that impacted the flight of the ball could be detected, including whether it hits a goalpost when it crosses the line.

Replays showed it was a goal, and with the new technology, that error would be picked up.

“In terms of score review, it centres around what the ball touches and what lines it crosses,” Kane told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s quite good in terms of tracking when the ball crosses the line and if anything has happened to the ball when it crosses the line, say a slight finger or a post brush, it can pick that up.

“The technology is instant and tells our officials what’s happened.

“We just need to work out how much testing we need to do to be confident to use that technology in officiating. We have already used it in a data collection from a game analysis perspective.”

AFL’s greatest problem is the lack of common sense. No technology will ever solve that.

 

[Grave Danger]

I‘m not a sporting technophobe but I trust the AFL propaganda machine like I trust the Chinese Communist Party.

I’m yet to see any explanation as to what ‘AFL Edge’ actually does and why I should be comfortable that it works with a high degree of accuracy. Watch ultra edge in the cricket, it reflects that there are constant noices, and a snick is a short sharper spike. Edge is variously a dead snake or the heartbeat of a coke head. Cricket is closer to a closed environment as well with a smaller area where the noice could come from and there aren‘t 36 fielders and an umpire who could be running into the sticks are the same time the ball passes.

 

[chiwigi]

Spend 100 million on technology that won’t work, or simply change the rule so a snick of the posts don’t count.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Ball-tracking technology to be trialled in the VFL

After AFL players tested the 'Smart Ball' in pre-season training, the technology will be tested in the VFL this Friday

www.afl.com.au

THE AFL will trial ball-tracking technology in the VFL and VFLW on Friday with a view to possibly introducing it to its elite competitions.

The League has developed and tested the 'Smart Ball' over the past 18 months in conjunction with ball manufacturer Sherrin, technology company Sportable, graphics partner Intaneous, and Victoria University and will test the technology in a game for the first time this week.

The technology, which involves installing a chip in the ball and uses sensors around the ground to determine the ball's exact position on the field, could unlock improvements in the goal review system and also provide instant data around the velocity and power of a player's kick.

AFL clubs tested the ball in pre-season training, with the League saying initial feedback was positive. "We did blind testing, so I think players took a bit of time trying to work out if they could tell the difference but they couldn't, which was what we wanted," said Laura Kane, the AFL's GM of Football.

"It's important to us that this technology works and we'll make sure of its accuracy before its introduced into a game of footy."
The next step is using the ball in the VFL/VFLW double header at RSEA Park this Friday. Collingwood and Sandringham will play in the VFL, while the Magpies and Southern Saints will clash in the VFLW.
................................................


STATEMENT AFL smart-ball technology moves to next phase of testing

The AFL has today confirmed the next stage of testing for smart-ball technology will take place during the Sandringham v Collingwood (VFL) & Southern Saints vs Collingwood (VFLW) on Friday, March 22 at RSEA Park.

Work on the smart-ball has been undertaken for the last 18 months and during this period the AFL has worked closely with smart-ball developers Sportable, its scoreboard and graphics partner, Intaneous, and Sherrin on the development of the electronic sensors in the bladder.

The sensors assist with tracking and motion which determine the ball’s exact position on the field, distance travelled, its speed and spin rates.

During this stage of the testing, the ball will be tracked for the duration of the game allowing for a wide range of match variables to be collated including, location of the ball at any moment in the game, kick and handball lengths, ball speed, spin rate and height.

To date there has been extensive work and iterations of the ball to ensure it looks, feels, weighs and performs like a typical AFL match ball, lab testing to determine the sensor accuracy and basic performance qualities and work with a kicking robot to examine kick distance and trajectory.

AFL Clubs have been using the smart-ball in pre-season training in a blind field trial this year and more than 125 players have provided initial feedback on the ball.............................................

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The annual sports conference in Melbourne, SportNXT, is on this week as it always ties in with the Formula 1 being in town.

SportNXT – Shaping the Future of Sport

sportnxt.org

A few of the speakers will cover technology and concussion, a couple of the big sports issues in the AFL.

Yesterday Whateley interviewed former Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock who is CIO and co-founder of XV Capital Advisory who invest in global sports innovation companies.

Mortlock brought in Alex Chalmers from the UK who spent last weekend going to as much sport as he could in Melbourne. He has an EPL and UK rugby industry background as well as sports media, before joining Stadia Ventures 7 years ago and is now managing partner, and they look at linking sports and technology, and driving change in the sports industry. They are brokers connecting sports teams/leagues with the most promising early stage startups in the sports technology space.

There is a fair bit of corporate cliche and jargon from both guests, but there is also some interesting stuff about where technology is taking sports globally and opportunities they see in Oz for innovation, both on and off the field.

 

[raptalia]

For 170 years the game has survived without the need for technology but now suddenly it is a must have. Back to the decision in that Crows/ Sydney game last year, that was down to poor judgement by the goal umpire. We should not need technology to over ride such atrocious decision making because it should not happen. The point is they already had technology in place to review that decision but chose not to. Unless you have an NRL bunker system in which every score is automatically reviewed it will get down to the decision on when to review and when not to review. If every score has to be reviewed then be prepared for some delays as even with the present system they spend minutes reviewing the bloody obvious.

The bottom line is it is not simply a case of having the technology but also having a system that ensures that the technology is applied properly.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Andrew Dillon in a long interview in the Sunday HS about his first 12 months as CEO said a bit about technolgy and ball tracking stuff.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-boss-andrew-dillon-reflects-on-his-first-year-in-footys-top-job/news-story/7d250129fd9df761325d140ee0798ac2

The AFL has ruled out using smart-ball tracking technology to drive the “score assist” review system in the men’s 2025 season. The smart-ball technology was introduced for the first time in this year’s AFLW season, but Dillon said this week more work was required before it could be expanded.

In late September the AFL confirmed the newly-introduced system had incorrectly overturned a crucial goal for Gold Coast in their three-point AFLW loss to Collingwood.

In that instance, the AFL put it down to human error, indicating the score assist official had not reviewed all available angles of the vision at the time of the decision. “We have been really happy with the way it has gone in (AFL)W, but we want to continue to make sure it is as good as it can be before it goes any further,” Dillon said.

 

[El Zorro]

For 170 years the game has survived without the need for technology but now suddenly it is a must have.

You can apply this way of thinking to basically any new technology ever implemented anywhere. Like "humans have survived hunting a gathering for millenia, now this farming thingamabob is a must have", etc.