Former AFL umpire Michael Pell defends PINT’s Warwick Williams after NTFL elimination final incident

A young field umpire had his shirt ripped and was thrown to the ground in a wild incident at the NTFL elimination final over the weekend. But who is really to blame?

A former AFL umpire has leapt to the defence of the footballer who ripped a field umpire’s shirt and threw him to the ground during a melee.

Shocking footage of the incident went viral on the weekend and there are reports the wild moment could end the career of Northern Territory footballer Warwick Williams.

But ex-AFL umpire Michael Pell clarified that the young whistle-blower was unfortunately caught in the wrong position and ultimately placed his own safety at risk.

Screenshot of the incident during the NTFL elimination final.

“I think he (Williams) was trying to move the umpire away. He’s pushed the umpire out of the melee to protect him and in that moment he has been pulled and, as such, he’s dragged the umpire with him,” Pell told this masthead.

“It’s unfortunate, and it’s not a great look – but I don’t think there was any malicious intent from the player.

“My feedback to that young umpire would be to keep distance from any melee and players. Don’t try to break it up.

“If players are going to fight there is very little umpires are going to be able to do to stop them.

“So move back, have a good visual of the whole melee and use your whistle and words to try and get them to move on.

“Unfortunately, his inexperience has caught him unstuck here.”

AFLNT referred the incident to its Match Review Panel along with a warning: “We wish to reinforce that AFLNT strongly condemns abuse of any type in our game and has zero tolerance when it comes to umpire abuse in any form”.

Giants captain Toby Greene was suspended for six weeks in 2021 for making intentional contact with veteran umpire Matthew Stevic.

But Pell said these incidents were chalk and cheese.

“Toby’s was during the halftime break. Toby has walked into Stevic and bumped him, whereas this has happened during a melee in play and unfortunately the umpire has become caught up in it.”

Toby Greene was suspended for six weeks in 2001 for making contact with umpire Matt Stevic. Picture: Fox Sports

Multiple AFL umpiring sources agreed with Pell that unfortunately the inexperienced AFLNT umpire had placed himself in the wrong position.

“I don’t think the player knew he was there – it was bad positioning by the ump, he was way too close,” one said.

“Or if he did know it certainly wasn’t a malicious act. But honestly this incident doesn’t happen if the umpire kept the distance he was supposed to.

“He tried to split two players up whereas you should use your voice and whistle, because if somebody gets clocked in a volatile situation like that and you’re too close you could miss it.”

Not a great look and I hope the young umpire is okay but he’s done himself no favours here.

Bad positioning, never try and get between players like that let alone touch them. Get distance from the melee and use whistle and voice. Be interested to see how this one plays out… pic.twitter.com/SnCzekLCkx

— Michael Pell (@Pell_Mick) February 25, 2024

Pell and other umpiring sources hoped the young official would be educated by the experience.

Pell said the player deserved to be reported for intentional contact irrespective of the umpire’s poor positioning and it should then be left up to the tribunal to work out.

Williams returned to the NTFL this season after spending a year in jail on an assault conviction for breaking a man’s jaw on Darwin’s party strip.

Benjamin Brett tweeted: “I literally play in this team and with him, he didn’t mean it and got pulled back as he was trying to help the kid (umpire) out of the way”.