AFL 2025: Essendon coach Brad Scott speaks on umpire contact crackdown
The AFL Players Association also called for the entire MRO and Tribunal system to be reviewed declaring it 'wasn't working' after the league introduced the prospect of suspension for players should they be found to have carelessly made contact with an umpire on four occasions.
Players will be punished with a hefty fine after the second offence.
Scott understands the umpires' view, saying the AFL's 'hand was forced' but wants to see the cause of the contact ruled correctly.
'It seems to be one of those things where their hand was forced, we don't often think about workplace health and safety, especially on field,' he said.
'There's a tribunal, MRO to deal with players, but clearly the umpires in particular feel their safety is being compromised.
'I just hope there's a deep dive going into umpire positioning. There's four umpires on the ground, all of those things.
'Accidental umpire contact results in a fine or a suspension, I'd be very interested in the Players' Association's view on this because there's a lot of fines getting out of control.
'I understand the reasoning for it, the AFL has had their hand forced on this one, but I think everyone has to take responsibility on this, not just the players.'
Interim AFLPA boss, Ben Smith said deciding to increase the penalties without consultation was 'disappointing' and called for a forum to discuss such issues 'holistically with the AFL'.
'It's evident to the AFLPA and players that the current MRO and Tribunal system is not working and needs to be reviewed and revised, and we look forward to being a part of that process,' he said.
Scott says the best midfielders have started setting up alongside the umpires' lane out of centre bounces and that puts everyone 'in a vulnerable position'.
He says the Bombers will implement a strategy around avoiding contact at training this week.
'The ball-ups are the problem, incidental umpire contact around the ground doesn't happen very often,' he said.
' … the AFL have made it clear to us that if you set up behind the umpire when they're backing out and there's contact, then you're liable.
'That's a pretty simple one for the players. What has been a trend is a lot of players, particularly the stars of the competition, setting up there because you have to man them up.
'That puts you in a vulnerable position of making contact with an umpire. We're actually going to work on it at training today just to make sure we don't put ourselves in that position.'
Scott says ruling on free kicks and fines for umpire contact is 'retrospective' and needs to be assessed through vision.
He also launched to the defence of the playing cohort, saying the volume of fines is 'outrageous'.
'I don't think any player likes money coming out their pocket, but I think they do have a view that they feel when they're fined it's not a penalty,' he said.
'Put umpire contact to one side, any MRO finding where a player gets fined, it's reported as if they've been cleared – the players don't feel like they've been cleared.'
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