AFL news 2023: What four-umpire system means for free kicks, forwards | League adamant MCG, Marvel Stadium turf will be ready for round
The AFL’s new four-umpire system will mean there’s an official close to goal at either end of the ground. Here’s what the change could mean for the game’s best forwards.
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Football’s star forwards who make the ball their only objective will hope to take advantage of the new four-umpire system as officials position themselves closer to goal.
But the AFL’s umpiring team believes it will avoid paying more free kicks as players in marking contests inside 50 quickly adjust their behaviour through the increased umpiring presence.
The league has introduced an extra field umpire in games this season and the by-product will be an umpire at each end, much closer to the goalsquare than in previous years.
The hope will be key position forwards who have thrived with greater delivery under the stand rule will again benefit in a game where star forwards remain one of footy’s greatest drawcards.
But AFL head of umpiring Dan Richardson told the Herald Sun on Friday rather than a surge in free kicks for key forwards the league believed players would hold less which would provide greater opportunities to mark.
Western Bulldogs champion Brad Johnson said key position forwards who were just as capable of holding as defenders would need to fly at the ball with greater regularity.
Richardson said the objective was to miss less free kicks, not reward forwards with a spate of holding frees.
“The fact an umpire is even there and the players know they have a different view in the contest, you would expect that alone might change some behaviour,” he told the Herald Sun.
“It will be good for the contest at either end of the ground. There are instances where forwards might be giving away frees for blocking for each other, there are occasions where defensive tactics are pretty strong, so hopefully it means we miss less free kicks at that end of the ground, not necessarily pay more free kicks.
“If there is a bit of a spike in free kicks early in the season, the hope will be that it’s not because of four umps. It could be through other reasons that are out there. Sometimes it could be because of the way teams are playing.”
League statistics from 2009-22 show there were more free kicks paid in the first five rounds as players adjust to new interpretations and refine tackling techniques.
Across those 14 seasons with averages of between 36-42 free kicks per game, there were an average of 4.5 free kicks extra in round 1 compared to the rest of the season, 4.05 extra in round 2 and 2.74 extra in round 3 before settling down by round 5.
Johnson said two free kicks to Lincoln McCarthy in the Lions-Cats pre-season game showed umpires were in better position to detect holds.
“The ball becomes the target, the players will focus on that and their positioning will be the key,” Johnson said.
“I like it. The trials were successful and I think it will work out quite well. Players will still play strong, and forwards can grab just as much as defenders. Forward will adjust the things the might do and the experienced defenders will have to adjust as well.”
AFL adamant Styles, Sheeran won’t derail round 1
- Lauren Wood
The league is confident its stadiums will be ready for Round 1 despite a bumper fortnight of blockbuster concerts in Melbourne.
Large portions of turf are being replaced in the wake of global megastar Harry Styles’ pair of sold-out shows at Marvel Stadium last weekend while more than 200,000 people are set to descend on the MCG for two Ed Sheeran extravaganzas on Thursday and Friday nights.
Marvel Stadium’s turf was protected during Styles’ concerts by heavy plastic matting with a large section of the forward pocket and the goalsquare areas currently without turf.
The MCG surface has also been protected with seating in place for Sheeran’s shows.
There are just 15 days before North Melbourne hosts West Coast at Marvel Stadium, while Richmond opens the season against Carlton at the MCG in 13 days.
League officials are adamant that their full-time turf staff will have the grounds ready to be played on by Round 1, and that there is “no concern” with the surface.
All grounds replace sections of turf before and during the season, with grounds inspected in the lead-up to games.
In 2017, Brisbane officials lashed the league after the inaugural AFL Women’s grand final had to be moved away from the Gabba in the wake of two Adele concerts that savaged the turf.
TICKET SALES SOAR, BUT AFL WON’T CHANGE FRIDAY START TIME
Jon Ralph
The AFL expects Richmond v Carlton to sell out by Friday amid massive demand for round 1 seats that has Victorian general admission sales up 244 per cent on the same time in 2019.
But the league has made the decision not to bring forward the traditional 7.50pm Friday start time to an earlier slot despite strong feedback from fans.
The league started the 2022 season with a backdrop of Covid hesitancy from fans, who also complained about a flexible fixture and lack of plastic membership cards.
It has listened to those concerns and maintained a price freeze for the fifth year in a row, locked in the fixture for 15 rounds and decided against any rule changes.
AFL executive Travis Auld told the Herald Sun the league believed those changes had helped unprecedented demand for tickets that has already seen general admission tickets for Anzac Day sell out.
The league expects the last remaining tickets for the Richmond-Carlton season opener to be snapped up in the next 24 hours, hopeful of a crowd above 90,000 at the MCG.
Already the league has sold more than 200,000 tickets across the MCG and Marvel Stadium for round 1 games.
Many fans believe the traditional 7.50pm start time is too late, and AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said last year the league was open to change if fans demanded it.
Auld said on Thursday the league would retain the current start time but didn’t rule out changes for next year.
“We looked at a series of things coming out of Covid to respond to the feedback from fans, whether its affordability issues and more certainty around the release of the fixture,” he said.
“We did look at start times and made the decision to hold it for this season. We will continue to look at it. It doesn’t mean we won’t make changes in the future. We want to find a sweet spot where as many people can get to the game as possible, but if not we still have as many eyeballs as possible. It is always a conversation between us and broadcasters and fans. We have decided on Friday nights to hold it but we have those conversations across all slots.”
Auld said the league was thrilled with the post-pandemic reaction to fans and would continue to listen to supporters to improve the product.
“We like to load up the front end of the fixture and start strongly, so round 1 is big leading into the first four rounds and then we have Gather Round and Anzac Day. We have a big focus on getting people back in big numbers and the signs from the ticket sales indicate there is really strong interest,” he told the Herald Sun.
“People are looking to get back out and socialise and footy is at the centre of that. There is a lot of uncertainty around where teams are at, most teams believe they are a strong chance to play finals and that lends itself to a strong start.“
Why Gil might stay until mid year
The AFL’s aspirants to replace Gillon McLachlan will enter final interviews in coming weeks, with the league unprepared to set a final departure date for its long-term chief executive.
With the Federal Government increasingly likely to hand funding to a Tasmanian AFL stadium in a budget delivered in the second week of May, McLachlan’s departure could be pushed back at least until round 9.
AFL executive Andrew Dillon remains a strong favourite to replace McLachlan ahead of Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale but the timing of that appointment remains fluid.
Clubs had hoped they might be informed of his successor around next week’s AFL annual general meeting but the short-list of candidates will not have had their final interviews by that point.
Those interviews are set for mid-March after a drawn-out process that included first interviews in mid-2022 and second interviews in recent weeks.
The AFL informed clubs last November that McLachlan had agreed to stay on until after round 5 — the league’s new Adelaide-based Gather Round — to help resolve a series of challenging issues confronting football.
The league on Tuesday said there was no official update on the search for McLachlan’s replacement or his departure date.
But there is every chance McLachlan will continue on in his role past April depending on whether the AFL chooses an internal candidate or a club CEO like Gale.
The league’s carefully worded release from last November did not specify an exact date, with AFL commission chairman Richard Goyder stating that “ … Gill has agreed to delay his departure until after the Toyota AFL Premiership Season Round Five celebrations in Adelaide. It is important the AFL has continuity during this period as we continue to work through some incredibly significant and complex pieces of work for the industry.”
The federal budget is usually delivered on the second Tuesday in May — this year May 9 — with clubs now warming to the likelihood of a package of funding for a Tasmanian team.
McLachlan has driven that non-negotiable demand for the Tasmanian team to have a new stadium so securing that funding would be an ideal send-off and perfect legacy moment.
But there is no end in sight for the Hawthorn racism allegations and clubs are sceptical about a new pay deal being brokered by the loose date of April.
So McLachlan and Goyder will have to decide upon his exit date, aware there is never a perfect departure point that sees the AFL free of controversies.
If Dillon is the successful applicant the league could more easily postpone his start date and allow McLachlan to finish off his current portfolio of responsibilities.
But if Gale wins the job he and Richmond would need a more definitive time frame as the club set about replacing him.
The league already has one of its football positions vacant and would need to replace Dillon as the executive general manager of football operations as well as head of legal integrity the league’s general counsel.
He would be expected to lure one of the AFL’s chief executives for that vast role, which in all likelihood would involve building the list allowances for a Tasmanian team.
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