AFL’s appeal of Curnow umpire contact, sends message to league across Australia, says umpire union

THE AFL’s umpires’ union says the league’s decision to appeal the Curnow brothers’ umpire contact decision sends a message to every league in Australia. But what do Chris Scott and Tom Hawkins think?

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — MAY 15: Charlie Curnow (L) and brother Ed Curnow of the Carlton Blues leave after their AFL Tribunal Hearing into intentional contact with an umpire at AFL House on May 15, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. Both escaped suspension. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

THE AFL umpires union says the league’s decision to appeal the Curnow brothers’ umpire contact findings sends a message to every league in Australia.

The case of Carlton’s Ed and Charlie Curnow will return to the judiciary at 3pm today, less than 48 hours after the pair’s initial victory.

The league yesterday said the tribunal’s penalty — which cleared them of intentional contact and fined them for careless contact — was “manifestly inadequate”.

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AFL umpires association chief executive Peter Howe told the Herald Sun the league was backing its umpires.

But Howe warned the AFL’s decision this week that umpires would no longer tell players they were backing out of stoppages could lead to more umpire contact.

The AFL appealed the Curnow brothers’ $1000 fines but did not challenge Gold Coast co-captain Steven May’s identical fine.

Ed Curnow touching an umpire.

May’s head made contact with an umpire while attempting to explain his actions while the Curnows clearly touched an umpire with a hand — as did Tom Hawkins a week earlier resulting in a one-match suspension.

“We support the AFL’s stance on any unnecessary contact. We acknowledge in the game there will be different contact in different circumstances,” Howe said

“But as much as anything this has an impact at lower levels of footy.”

“We know at the community level people imitate their heroes and it’s in those moments where things get a little out of control,” Howe said.

“We just need to make sure the environment is one where it’s uppermost in people’s minds to stay away from the umpires.

“In times like this it might lead to the general public thinking umpires are precious and that’s not our point of view at all. It’s just about providing a level of support through the ranks.”

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said of the Hawkins case: “If I was Geelong I’d be bleeding”.

Geelong coach Chris Scott said the goalposts had shifted.

“Something is wrong with the system when you get four instances like this and different responses to all of them, especially one,” he said.

Charlie and Ed Curnow speak to the media.

“We are still happy we made the decision to accept Tom’s punishment for the good of the game. It just appears what’s good for the game has changed in a week.”

Tom Hawkins told Nine he didn’t regret accepting his ban.

“Whether there is confusion or not, probably there is a little bit in my mind,” he said. “You move on, we have served our week.”

The AFL’s tactic of plea bargaining with defendants came under fire, with Hawkins threatened by the AFL with a push for a two-game ban if he pleaded not guilty and lost.

Lawyer and former AFL umpire Derek Humphery-Smith said plea-bargaining at the tribunal didn’t allow evidence to be tested and precedents to be set.

Tom Hawkins is confused but eager to move on. Pic: Getty Images

The AFL successfully doubled Tiger Bachar Houli’s two-match penalty for striking Carlton’s Jed Lamb at appeal last year, its first appeal after it changed its rules to challenge tribunal penalties.

Humphery-Smith said the May incident had more likelihood of being replicated at lower levels.

“Umpire-player relationships are a really important foundation but we need to think about the message this sends to every league other than the AFL,’’ he said.

“By (not suspending) these players there is some implicit permission for umpire contact, particularly the one involving Steven May.

“He is demonstrating what happened to him on the umpire and you could see how that could easily step over the line at community level.”

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