AFL makes clear to all clubs umpiring coaches never instruct officials to pay free kicks

The AFL has told all clubs that its umpires coaches never tell umpires to pay free kicks after what it labelled “inaccurate statements” over match-day communication.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. April 27, 2024. AFL … Carlton vs. Geelong at the MCG. Field umpire Mathew Nicholls . Pic: Michael Klein

The AFL has issued an urgent memo to its 18 clubs making clear its umpires coaches never tell umpires to pay free kicks after what it labelled “inaccurate statements” over match-day communication.

The league told clubs on Thursday it was worried about reports which it believed questioned the integrity of its umpiring team.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon called for greater transparency from the AFL on Thursday as the league confirmed its umpires were often spoken to between quarters by their coaches.

The league said the only communication between umpires and their umpires “coaches” was between breaks in play and only involved positive messaging and broad coaching around 50m penalties and handovers during quarter time breaks.

The umpires have been in the news all week. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

In that memo to the clubs issued by AFL football boss Josh Mahoney on Thursday night, he made clear umpires are never spoken to in-play except in emergency situations.

It came as umpires boss Stephen McBurney said despite reports it was simply untrue that there was any grey area about the level of coaching during games.

He said it would take an “extraordinary’’ event like an intruder on the field for an umpires coach to break into live play.

“It’s very clear that we will never tell an umpire during live play what free kicks to pay and we don’t talk to them during live play,” he said.

Mahoney’s memo states that: “Lead field umpires coach(es) do not communicate to umpires during live play. Lead field umpires coach(es) do not advise umpires what free kicks to pay. All on-field free kicks can only be adjudicated and paid by the 4 officiating field umpires.”

He told clubs the only exceptions were alerting goal umpires to goal reviews, umpires to 6-6-6 transgressions and boundary umpire free kicks.

The AFL was concerned the integrity of its umpires was being questioned. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Mahoney told clubs to call McBurney if they had any issues, stating: “We are concerned by some of the comments questioning the integrity of our umpires and umpiring system”.

Hawks coach Mitchell said he was in favour of any technological development that helped umpires.

“I probably have a bit of a different take on that,” Mitchell said.

“I think everyone recognises that umpiring is really difficult. So anything that makes their job easier is a positive. If they are talking to each other, if they are getting advice on different aspects of the game, if they feel that makes their job easier, I think they should be doing that.

“Anything that makes them adjudicate, anything that helps umpires with decision making, and anything that helps them with clarity is a good thing. That’s what we should be doing. Giving them every chance to make the best decisions in live time. If we have that technology, I don’t know why you wouldn’t use it.”