Alastair Lynch says AFL cannot abandon score review system but must spell out how it’s to be used
Calls for the AFL’s score review system to be axed have reached fever pitch after another round of howlers. But Alastair Lynch says the original intention to help goal umpires remains valid.
The AFL has no option but to push ahead with its score review system for the remainder of this season — but not before a complete overhaul and a clear statement to the football community on the parameters of the technology and where it can be used.
Frustration and outright anger at the current broken system has spilt over in recent weeks due to numerous howlers, which have resulted in a growing chorus for it to be scrapped for the remainder of the season.
My understanding of the score review system was that it was originally brought in to assist the goal umpires with their decisions.
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It can eliminate a repeat of the Tom Hawkins goal from the second quarter in the 2009 Grand Final. That shot clearly hit the post but was very hard for the umpire to detect.
It was a massive decision that put Geelong level with St Kilda instead of being five points down and with the Saints in possession for a kick out.
Nowadays, if the system is working correctly, that decision would have been reviewed, reversed and a point awarded within seconds.
I’m unsure at what stage but the touched-off-the-boot review has been introduced to the system.
Maybe I missed the announcement but it’s in now and on a weekly basis we are seeing great debate over decisions where the ball might or might not have been touched 50 metres from the goal. That is a field umpire’s call. What next, boundary umpire decisions?
Remember the Wayne Harmes hit to Ken Sheldon from the ‘79 Grand Final.
Most Collingwood supporters insist that ball was clearly over the line. Carlton won by five points that day.
Would that call be reviewed under the current system?
On Saturday night at the SCG I was commentating when a Lachie Weller goal was overturned due to a touch 50 metres out.
I didn’t think it was touched but was I 100 per cent sure? No. A colleague thought it was touched, but was he 100 per cent sure? No.
I feel the review system should be only overturning decisions when they are howlers.
It is great if the replay is conclusive but if you need several replays from many different angles to reach a decision — that is not conclusive.
In that case it must revert back to the umpire’s call as it wasn’t an obvious mistake or howler.
The Tim Kelly one last week was a farce.
His goal was overturned on review using new technology in the post that isn’t available at each ground. For starters the technology must be universal, or not used at all.
The snicko technology detected contact and spiked as the ball past the post and one of the best goal umpires in the game, David Roden, who was one metre away, was overruled.
But it later emerged the spike came a fraction of a second prior to the ball passing the post and was more likely caused by Patrick Dangerfield colliding with the other goalpost.
That is not only inconclusive, it is open to manipulation by smart defenders.
Part of the fear of sack
ing the score review system now is that we’ll miss another Tom Hawkins goal howler in a Grand Final.
Those who are demanding for it to stop immediately will argue that the current system is causing more howlers due to score review decisions based on flimsy evidence at best.
That’s why we must be clear on the rules and the available technology.
My understanding is that it’s any goal umpire decision plus central umpires when it concerns possible touches off the boot or anywhere in flight.
To avoid any more dramas, let’s pare it right back to the original rules.
Score reviews can only be made on goal umpire’s decisions, not field umpires. And only if the evidence is conclusive can a call be overruled.
Originally published as Alastair Lynch says AFL cannot abandon score review system but must spell out how it’s to be used