AFL Integrity: Should senior coaches be permitted to use their mobile phones during matches?

The AFL’s integrity arm says there is nothing to see here. But does it need to think again with AFL coaches and mobile phones in the heat of the battle?

\Leon Cameron will his mobile phone by his side during Sunday night’s game at Manuka Oval. Picture: Supplied

The AFL has cleared coaches to use their mobile phones during matches despite concerns being raised about the optics.

Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron was the latest coach pictured with his iPhone in the box during a match — the device placed next to his laptop during Sunday night’s game at Manuka Oval.

Cameron is not alone, with broadcast cameras showing multiple AFL coaches in possession of their phones at matches this season.

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Giants coach Leon Cameron with his mobile phone by his side during Sunday night’s game. Picture: Supplied

But the image-conscious league says it has all been above board because the coaches have been registered as “authorised device users” on match day.

Every club is allowed 10 authorised device users, which ensures club doctors and team managers can make emergency phone calls when necessary.

All other officials and players must hand in their mobile devices when they arrive at AFL grounds.

They are locked away until after the match.

The threat of using mobile phones during games centres around the possibility of match fixing because sensitive information could be fed to the outside world and used for gambling purposes.

There is no suggestion that Cameron or any AFL club has done anything wrong, but eyebrows have been raised over the look of mobile phones in boxes.

Other sports have tougher anti-corruption regulations and would not allow 20 officials (10 per club) to carry mobile devices during matches.

The NRL only permits a club’s director of football, chief medical officer and a trainer to carry a phone in restricted areas, which covers the dressing rooms, tunnel and playing surface.

All NRL coaches are banned from carrying their phones unless they have applied for and received an exemption before the match.

Similarly, Cricket Australia has watertight restrictions on mobile devices in the ‘PMOA’ (Players’ and Match Officials Area) and a logbook is used to ensure such storage is accurately recorded and monitored.

Phones permitted in the PMOA have to remain on silent while doctors must ensure their laptops are password protected.

Cricket Australia classifies a mobile device as any portable device — including smart phones, smart watches and tablets — which is capable of connecting to or using mobile telecommunications technology to enable or facilitate transmission of textual material, data, voice, video or multimedia services.

While the AFL is comfortable with its policy, integrity experts are puzzled at why a senior coach would require access to his device during a game when team managers can make urgent phone calls off their phones.

“It opens up the question ... who and what are they communicating with?” one sport’s cop said.

“Anything you can do to eliminate any suggestion of impropriety is worthwhile.”