AFLW 2024: Smart ball technology introduced in new ‘score assist’ system
Technology which could rid the AFL of scoring errors has been given the green light for the AFLW season after a long trial period.
AFL
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The AFL says its smart ball technology is “99 per cent accurate” as it prepares to fully roll out its new score assist system in the AFLW this season.
Club captains said they had faith in the microchip technology and welcomed its introduction as league football boss Laura Kane said it would be used in a “silent review” process.
Play could be brought to a halt after kick-ins or recalled from the middle of the ground after goals as a team of “score assist officials” use the microchip data and communicate with umpires via headsets.
The system, which will be in action at every home and away game and final regardless of the venue, could be introduced in the 2025 men’s season if its introduction is as smooth as the league anticipates.
Kane said on-field umpires would still have the final say on scoring decisions but expected the microchipped balls to quickly provide feedback on whether balls had been touched or hit the post.
The enhanced Sherrins would only weigh “about a teaspoon of sugar heavier” than the game balls last season, she said.
“This is the seventh iteration of the football, so we’ve had everything from a robot kicking the ball millions of times to more than 35 trials in VFL and VFLW games,” Kane said on Tuesday.
“What you’ll see in the AFLW season is the ball introduced as ‘score assist’, and it will operate practically … to help the umpires officiate, it will just happen in a different way.
“In the AFL we use cameras, in AFLW we will use a ball that effectively has a GPS chip in it – we’ve upgraded all of the communication so all of our umpires will have headsets and microphones.”
Kane said “nothing is 100 per cent (accurate)” when asked about the accuracy of the new technology, but added the system would improve the more it was used.
“To be completely honest, using it is what makes it more accurate, but we’ve got the technology pretty much perfect, and that makes it ready to go.”
North Melbourne captain Emma Kearney said club leaders had been shown examples of the new system at work during a practice match between Port Adelaide and Melbourne at Alberton last weekend.
Kearney said the innovation had been well-received, and she was excited for how the microchip data could be eventually used in coaching and on broadcasts.
The Kangaroos skipper said an uneven fixture meant goal umpiring accuracy was “crucial” to fairness during the season.
“I’m really looking forward to it ... we don’t want games to be decided based on errors in our score system – we saw a few examples last year – (Georgie) Prespakis for Geelong, when she clearly kicked a goal but it was awarded a point,” Kearney said.
“When it’s those really obvious ones, we know how crucial given that we don’t play every team once, how crucial that percentage is playing finals or finishing top four … I think the score assist will be a tremendous addition to our game.”
Originally published as AFLW 2024: Smart ball technology introduced in new ‘score assist’ system
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