AFL 2020: Umpires knocked back at South Australian border

The AFL has revealed it was forced into damage control after two umpires who were scheduled to officiate a game were turned away at the South Australian border.

The AFL narrowly avoided a disaster on Monday night when it jetted in replacement field umpires at the last minute after South Australia’s border control knocked back Shaun Ryan and Craig Fleer.

The whistle-blowers landed in Adelaide only to be sent straight back to Queensland because they had not served 14 days in quarantine since arriving from New South Wales.

Ryan and Fleer both umpired the Round 8 clash between GWS and Richmond at Giants Stadium.

The bungle forced the AFL to promote Cameron Dore off the emergency list and fly Leigh Hausen and Hayden Gavine over on a chartered flight on Monday afternoon.

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Umpire Shaun Ryan was turned away at the South Australian border. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Brendan Hosking was the only umpire originally appointed to the match who was able to officiate.

The league decided to rotate four umpires throughout the game given the compromised preparations, instead of only using three and keeping an emergency on the bench.

“The willingness from the umpires to support at such short notice was fantastic and they are to be commended for their professionalism and commitment throughout this unprecedented season,” an AFL spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The 11th-hour shuffle was the latest example of the AFL’s incredible agility to keep the season rolling.

But it was another tough night for the men in green with Fox Footy taking aim at some of their decisions during its broadcast.

Commentator and Adelaide Crows director Mark Ricciuto even raised the umpiring standard with Power coach Ken Hinkley at halftime, although Hinkley dead-batted the question. by saying: “That’s footy”.

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Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said a critical free kick paid to Charlie Dixon in the third quarter was unwarranted after Caleb Daniel was penalized for chopping Dixon’s arms in a marking contest.

Dixon converted the set-shot for his first goal as the Power skipped ahead for the first time in the match.