Ballarat and Maryborough Castlemaine competitions implement White Card

A new card is set to be introduced to country footy leagues across Victoria in a bid to reduce the abuse of umpires. Here’s what will happen.

Two country footy leagues are set to trial a new card system in a bid to reduce bad behaviour of club coaches, officials and volunteers.

The Ballarat Football League (BFNL) and Maryborough and Castlemaine District Football League will introduce a white card for the 2023 season, which will be used to implement warnings and punishments for those who behave in a manner towards umpires which does not meet the expectations of the competition.

In each case a coach or a staff member will receive warnings after a bad behaviour action has taken place.

The first warning will see the white card shown to the club by an umpire, in a coaches box, indicating what has happened is unacceptable.

The second warning, if an infringement occurs again, will see the opposition get a free kick and another card handed out.

If there is a third incident, the head coach will be reported, given a red card and another free kick awarded.

BFNL general manager Shane Anwyl said the new system was being introduced after a spate of isolated instances last year.

“It’s not endemic through the competition but we found there were too many instances where the language and the way people questioned umpires decisions really wasn’t appropriate,” Anwyl said.

“Part of this measure is to support the umpires so they are comfortable going about their business without copping abuse or that type of thing.

“This is just another mechanism to make the game more enjoyable for those who attend.”

Anwyl said umpires were pleased the move has been made despite the new rules creating more work for them.

“They are in charge of the game and if they hear or its reported to them by another umpire that a coach or an official or a spectator around a coaches box is not meeting our codes of conduct and expectations then that’s when the white card system will come into play,” he said.

The White Card will only be used on those near the coaches box and on staff and spectators who can easily be identified as being part of the club.

Spectators, in other areas of the ground, will not be given a White Card but still need to abide by the code and conduct for spectators.

Any instances of bad behaviour in the ground by spectators will be reported from umpires to the clubs who are then required to solve the issue in conjunction with the league.

Despite the white card coming in, individual coaches can still be yellow and red carded if their actions constituted it.

This would mean that individuals would be unable to coach from on the ground or the bench.

The BFNL is not the first competition to use the white card with AFL Queensland introducing the rule last year.

AFL Victoria confirmed it showcased the new White Card system to other leagues and clubs late last year with no confirmed plans at this stage to bring it in permanently across the state.