AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott says meeting with AFL umpiring figures was about providing feedback

Geelong coach Chris Scott has provided details of his meeting with key umpiring figures, which came after his lengthy response about umpiring decisions post-game last week.

Chris Scott met with new umpire boss Steve McBurney this week. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Geelong coach Chris Scott says his meeting with new head of officiating Steve McBurney earlier this week was about providing feedback rather than being adversarial, lauding the league’s emphasis on keeping an open dialogue with clubs.

Scott questioned the interpretation of holding the ball and advantage rule in a lengthy response at his press conference last Friday in the wake of their narrow loss to Port Adelaide.

Ahead of Geelong’s clash with Gold Coast, Scott reiterated his view that tackling techniques have changed in the modern game with players mindful of causing concussions.

Scott said the meeting with McBurney and umpiring coach Michael Jennings in Geelong was well received by the AFL.

He claimed it was part of the recently instated McBurney’s catch-ups he was having with all clubs.

Chris Scott was pleased with the process. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It wasn’t that sort of meeting. Steve McBurney is the new head of umpiring, he is in the 11th day of his job and he is in the process of getting around to every club. It wasn’t that sort of meeting. The contribution I am trying to make to the conversation is just that – there are a series of questions that kind of raise the consideration that everyone needs to make when you think about these things,” Scott said.

“It’s not a matter of saying, ‘this is right or this is wrong’, for example the holding the ball one. The question now – things continually evolve – the question has been, and it is really clear to everyone that you can’t dump a player in a tackle, at least without taking a great risk.

“You have got to be really, really careful that you don’t dump a player in the tackle and have his head hit the ground. So that adds a new wrinkle to holding the ball sort of situation where players who would previously have taken a guy to ground now have to be a little bit more careful.

“I don’t think the rule makers really considered that 5 or 10 years ago, maybe even 12 months ago. Laura Kane and the AFL in particular have gone to great lengths, and we really support this, that they want to communicate more and they are really happy for people to contribute to the conversation as long as it is respectful. I’m really comfortable and confident that was and will be the case.”

Scott said that understanding of the rules is fundamental to his role as a head coach.

He also believes it is an “incredibly difficult” game to umpire and said video reviews are not the solution.

Scott accepts it is a difficult game to umpire. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I don’t think that anyone should think that behind the scenes there is some adversarial relationship. It is really the opposite. It is like, ‘what are you seeing from your end, these are the challenges that we see coaching’. Because at the end of the day that is our responsibility – above and beyond anything else – to understand the rules as well as we possibly can so that we can coach the players appropriately,” Scott said.

“So I think it is in our interest to be really open about the way we think about those things and in return, they are very open about the challenges they face.

“It is an incredibly difficult game to umpire and the expectations should be that you’re not going to get perfection, and we got want to go to a system, in my view, where you got to the video for every single issue.”

Scott said he was far removed from the process that saw Jeremy Cameron continue playing after a head knock, which was later diagnosed as a concussion.

“It is something that is really quarantined from the head coach’s decision making. I have taken what I think is the logical approach to not delve into it too much – irrespective of what I thought,” Scott said.

“From my end I am just none the wiser, I am just completely oblivious to it. I could go and ask questions but I just don’t think that is appropriate or helpful.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott says meeting with AFL umpiring figures was about providing feedback