Mid-season rule change: AFL to send players straight to tribunal over repeated umpire contact

Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell is one of the players at-risk of being immediately sent to the tribunal and banned if he makes contact with an umpire - and the AFLPA isn’t happy.

Matt Rowell is at immediate risk of suspension and loss of Brownlow eligibility after the league’s mid-season rule change over careless umpire contact.

The AFL has told clubs it will immediately begin sending players directly to the tribunal for possible suspensions if they are repeatedly charged for careless umpire contact.

Players need to be charged with a fourth or subsequent careless umpire contact charge within the past two seasons.

That rule change will take place from round 17 onwards given the league’s determination to immediately protect its umpires after a year of fines and warnings.

Matt Rowell is in line to be sent to the tribunal over the AFL’s newest rule change. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

But the playing group is already furious with the increase in fines this season, with the AFL Players Association furious at the league’s changes without consultation.

The AFLPA has lobbied for lesser fines for second and third offences but believes the change will only increase the levels of fines, which will hit $1 million in the past two seasons.

AFLPA interim CEO Ben Smith said on Monday night the player union had asked the league for a forum in recent weeks but now wanted a full review of the judiciary.

“The safety of umpires is a critical component for the game, and it’s one the players wholeheartedly agree with. However, unilaterally deciding to increase the penalties on the playing group to greater extremes without consultation is disappointing,” he said.

“The AFLPA wrote to the AFL weeks ago to request a forum where the players can sit down and genuinely discuss these issues holistically with the AFL.

Jack Macrae has also had run-ins with umpires this season. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

“There are multiple factors that go into the number of fines increasing for careless contact with an umpire, such as additional umpires on the field and greater congestion around the ball, and the players feel the threshold of what constitutes incidental or accidental contact between players and umpires continues to shift. They ultimately believe these fines aren’t proportionate to the acts committed.”

The league is concerned about the growing numbers of umpires being hit in contests by umpires after 63 charges so far this year.

That figure is up from 20 charges two years ago and 53 last year.

Rowell has had three umpire contact charges this year alone from rounds one, four and 15.

If he was handed another fine he would likely be referred directly to the AFL tribunal for a higher fine and possible suspension.

A suspension would see the $51 Brownlow contender, just outside the current top 12 in betting, ruled ineligible.

Rowell is well behind Bailey Smith, teammate Noah Anderson and Jordan Dawson in AFL Coaches Association voting but still had 44 votes.

The league will crack down on AFL players who repeatedly make contact with umpires. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

Port Adelaide’s Willem Drew had two umpire contact fines in one round alone this year, while Toby Greene has two careless umpire fines from this season.

Andrew Dillon wrote to AFL clubs on Tuesday and said that the league has implemented changes immediately.

Under the new rules if a player is sanctioned for a fourth or subsequent offence, the MRO will “likely directly refer the player to the tribunal”.

The league told clubs it would then seek an alternative sanction from the tribunal which “may include an increased fine and or where applicable a suspension at the tribunal’s absolute discretion.”

Dillon said the AFL had stepped in to protect umpires given the dramatic rise in umpire contact.

“We are seeing far too many instances of avoidable umpire contact, and since writing to clubs on this issue in February and again in April we have not seen a change in behaviour, and in fact seen an increase in umpire contact,” Mr Dillon.

“We have an obligation to provide the best working environment for everyone, including the umpires, and there have been too many instances of avoidable umpire contact.”

Originally published as Mid-season rule change: AFL to send players straight to tribunal over repeated umpire contact