AFL Integrity concerns: Umpires accused of checking stats on their phones

The rule states ‘under no circumstance should any electronic device be used to gather information’ for Brownlow Medal voting. But there are fresh claims AFL umpires do just that.

Image of umpire and AFL app

The Brownlow Medal has been rocked by fresh integrity concerns that umpires are using their mobile phones before casting votes.

Umpires are accused of logging into the official AFL app to check match statistics before deciding who will receive the 3-2-1 Brownlow votes.

The AFL confirmed to the Herald Sun that stats are not made available or provided to umpires and said: “Under no circumstance should any electronic device be used to gather information for the allocation of Brownlow Medal votes.”

Anti-gambling crusader Tim Costello said, however, he believed AFL umpires were flouting the rules because they were so frightened of the public backlash in getting votes wrong and raising the ire of gamblers.

Umpires are believed to be so frightened of backlash from angry gamblers, they’ve been checking stats on their phones in contravention of AFL rules. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Nolan

AFL umpires are aware that the Brownlow has become a significant betting event, particularly after changes that have legalised live betting during the medal count and game-by-game markets on who will poll three votes.

Costello’s claims that umpires checked stats before casting Brownlow votes echoed information provided to News Corp last year.

“I have a very strong suspicion that AFL umpires check (statistics) on their phone because they are under so much pressure to get the votes right that they need just a bit of back-up evidence,” Costello said on Wednesday.

“The AFL rule is that they can’t use their phones. Every umpire, because that’s the rule, will say they don’t.

“But if they are using their phones it shows you can drive a truck through the AFL’s so-called rules.

“It boasts about integrity and managing any outages or beaches, but I think you can drive a truck through it.”

Costello said his “suspicions were aroused” when he learnt AFL field umpire Nick Foot runs a racing podcast called “2 UNITS”.

“My suspicions were raised when I realised that at least some umpires are up to their necks in gambling,” he said.

There is no suggestion that Foot has been involved in any wrongdoing.

League rules state that: “All umpires hand their mobile phones to the umpire trainer upon arrival at the ground and do not receive them back until after the Brownlow votes have been submitted post-game.”

Umpire Nick Foot runs a racing podcast called 2 UNITS. Picture: Michael Klein

But it’s believed that the process is more like an invitation to lock away valuables, rather than an order to hand over mobile phones for integrity reasons.

The emergency umpire, who helps cast the votes along with the three field umpires, sits on the interchange bench with a view of Champion Data’s match stats on nearby laptops.

The AFL fined Collingwood $20,000 for breaching Rule 30 when injured players Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe retrieved their phones midgame in 2021.

An AFL source said that all umpires were emailed a reminder on Brownlow Medal voting protocols during the 2022 season.

On November 14, field umpire Michael Pell was arrested along with three men in relation to suspicious betting activity linked to last year’s Brownlow Medal.

No charges have been laid.

Pell resigned from the AFL late last year. He was also being put on discretionary leave from his full-time job as a physical education teacher at Southern Cross Grammar.

“While we have not made a judgment on Mr Pell’s involvement surrounding these allegations, we have made the decision to place him on leave,” SCG principal Matt Dodd wrote in a letter to the school community on November 14.