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Umpire contact: We all know the line so what’s with the fuss?

(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
Roar Rookie
22nd June, 2018
2

The current umpire contact confusion consuming the AFL is the biggest non-story of this season.

Prior to the two suspensions handed out to Tom Hawkins (Geelong) and Ed Curnoe (Carlton), we have seen just seven instances of umpire contact since federation which legitimately warranted a suspension.

In 2009, Heath Shaw (Collingwood) received a one-week ban for unacceptable but minor umpire contact after grabbing the shoulder of Michael Vozzo.

In 1997, dual Brownlow medallist Greg Williams (Carlton) was suspended nine games for dismissively pushing away field umpire Andrew Coates.

Chris Lewis (West Coast) and Chris Johnson (Brisbane) were both charged with umpire interference and suspended for three matches in 1993 and 1997 respectively.

In 1980, ‘fabulous’ Phil Carman (Essendon) received a 16-week suspension for headbutting boundary umpire Graham Carberry.

In 1974, Mal Brown (Richmond) was somewhat humorously suspended for four matches after forcefully throwing the ball at an umpire.

And lastly, in 1972, Brent Crosswell (Carlton) received four weeks for striking and verbal abusing the field umpire.

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These isolated instances featuring players intentionally behaving disrespectfully, dismissively, aggressively and forcefully are all clear examples of the type of umpire contact the AFL cannot allow.

Tom Hawkins Geelong Cats AFL 2017

(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

By contrast, the recent examples of umpire contact thrust under the spotlight following the Hawkins and Curnoe suspensions show next to no demonstrative behaviour.

In Round 8, Steven May (Gold Coast) and in Round 13 Dustin Martin (Richmond) both touched umpires while respectfully trying to reason and explain their perspectives.

Similarly, Willie Rioli’s (West Coast) Round 9 bum-tap on Ray Chamberlain was nothing more than a player cheekily accepting that he had given away a free kick.

Charlie Curnoe’s (Carlton) Round 8 brush against Matt Stevic was so insignificant that the umpire had no recollection of the incident after the game.

This minute umpire contact should be expected and accepted in a game where 36 men brutally fight for possession and explode out of tightly crammed stoppages.

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Furthermore, this type of positive and constructive engagement should be encouraged as it has the potential to develop shared respect and improve rapport between players and umpires.

It is also entirely reasonable to assume that umpires and particularly AFL players understand what kind of contact is and isn’t acceptable.

Modern league footballers act as custodians of the game, situated in the eye of AFL storm and surrounded by teams of individuals dedicated to ensuring they represent the game in the best light possible.

Therefore, it’s impossible to accept that these footballers think they can intentionally behave disrespectfully, dismissively, aggressively or forcefully toward umpires, particularly considering recent focus on the issue.

By and large, the overwhelming majority of modern footballers are acutely aware of their place as role models and spokespeople for the AFL brand – and consequently, legitimate instances of malicious umpire contact have been few and far between.

It’s this contemporary awareness which means that we will never see another brain explosion like that of John Bourke which saw the forward suspended for ten years and 16 games after pushing over an umpire, elbowing a trainer and getting into a fight with a supporter.

And it’s this collective understanding shared by players that you do not touch umpires.

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This has allowed the AFL to get away without having clear guidelines regulating this interaction until now.

In both the Hawkins and Curnoe cases of umpire contact, they were clearly dismissive and at worst aggressive – but in essence, harmless and not demonstrative enough to warrant a long stint on the sidelines.

Consequently, the tribunal was absolutely correct in suspending both players for one match for their unacceptable but hardly heinous offences.

However, the raft of players implicated in umpire contact following these suspensions left AFL match review officer Michael Christian with no option other than to clarify the leagues interpretation of to include disrespectful, aggressive, dismissive or forcefully intentionally contact.

This clarification, while providing umpire contact with a framework against how it can be judged, in reality, does nothing because it simply ratifies into law behaviours which have been proven over time to be embraced and accepted by an absolute majority league footballers.

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