AFL football manager Steven Hocking says improving match review panel is on his agenda

AFL clubs have previously had to wait days before learning whether their stars faced the MRP music. But the league says that might all be about to change.

Demon Tom Bugg's hit on Swans Callum Mills

AFL FANS can prepare for faster decisions on potential match review panel (MRP) incidents as the league’s new football boss continues to put his stamp on the game.

Fresh from announcing the league’s call to continue with the bounce, football operations manager Steven Hocking says improving the MRP system was next on his agenda.

In recent seasons MRP decisions have been announced on Mondays, with clubs, players and fans having to wait up to three days before learning their fate.

But Hocking hinted MRP panel members might soon be analysing incidents from matches far more quickly.

AFL football manager Steven Hocking addresses the media this week. Picture: Getty Images

“A couple of things we’ll be looking at are how we expedite the process and consistency in decision-making. They’re two key priorities for me,” Hocking told Adelaide radio station 5AA.

This year commentators lamented the fact some decisions were dragged out, with fans and the media dissecting every angle and speculating on the likely outcome.

Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin had to wait until the Monday of grand final week before learning he was clear to play in the decider after an incident in his side’s preliminary final win over GWS.

And the highly-charged case stemming from Demon Tom Bugg’s punch on Swan Callum Mills, the Friday night incident resulting in a six-match ban, wasn’t assessed until the following Monday.

Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin collects Giant Dylan Shiel in the preliminary final.

Hocking said he was working on revamping the model and would take his findings to AFL powerbrokers when they next met.

“Without going into it too much, I think people hopefully will be patient with that. That will reveal itself some time in December.

“We’ve got another commission meeting in December and I’ll have most of that in front of them then.

“We’ve already done quite a bit of work internally, there’s obviously stakeholders we need to work through and there’s a lot of people involved in that.”

Originally published as AFL football manager Steven Hocking says improving match review panel is on his agenda