A video review of contentious scoring decisions is set to be introduced into the AFL regular season this year. Under the rule, if a video replay is used it will not be allowed to hold play up for longer than 40 seconds.
The AFL will make a decision on whether it will be introduced before the end of the NAB Cup, where it will again be trialled.
If a goal umpire is in doubt regarding a scoring decision he can consult with the official scorer.
The scorer would then review video footage before making a final decision.
Two other rules to be trialled in the pre-season, involving holding the ball and throw-ins, will not apply in the regular season this year.
In the NAB Cup, ruckmen will not be allowed to make contact with each other at field ball-ups and boundary throw-ins until the ball leaves the umpire’s hands.
And in an extension of the rule against a player holding the ball under his body, an opponent could also be penalised for holding on and preventing the player from punching the ball clear.
AFL operations manager Adrian Anderson said the league was “serious” about bringing in the video scoring rule this season.
“We want to use the technology if it’s there and it’s available and it doesn’t slow the game down too much,” Anderson said.
“If it works well we’d like to bring it in but we’d need to trial it again before we make a final call on that.
“We’ll let most of the NAB Cup expire before we start analysing it.
“We’ll collect the feedback and examine all the incidents where it’s come into play and whether we’re happy with the way it worked.
“And if that works well, we’re looking to bring that into home and away.”
Geelong’s Tom Hawkins and Collingwood’s Sharrod Wellingham have both benefited from goal umpiring errors in recent grand finals, being awarded a goal rather than a point in the 2009 and 2010 deciders respectively.
Anderson said 40 seconds reflected the time usually taken between a goal and the umpire bouncing the ball again.
The pre-season competition will also experiment with two interchange and two substitute players on the bench, although the premiership season will continue with three interchange and one substitute.
The league has modified its deliberate out of bounds rule, saying last year’s decision to penalise the last person to touch the ball before it crosses the line was “too harsh”.
Instead a free kick will be paid against the last team to dispose of the ball with a kick or a handball before it goes out of bounds.
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