29-05-2025
Brisbane Lions v Essendon AFL Round 12: Live updates, SuperCoach scores, teams
The AFL quietly upgraded its 'Edge' goalpost technology two years ago as it stands by the score review feature after Geelong coach Chris Scott declared it 'doesn't work well'.
Scott was left fuming last Thursday night when winger Ollie Dempsey had a goal paid by the on-field goal umpire, only for it to be overturned about a minute later following a review.
The AFL Edge technology found a small spike when Dempsey's mid-air soccer passed the post.
Dempsey could be seen telling teammates the ball just snuck in when he jogged from the field, but the AFL's ARC system reviews all goals and paused the on-field umpires to change the score before the ball was bounced to restart play.
Scott declared after the match he had 'a bit of inside info' that the Edge didn't work as advertised.
The AFL this week was unconcerned with the comments from the veteran coach.
The Edge was introduced just before the 2019 season, with microphones embedded behind the padding the goalpost to pick up on noise when the ball hit the post, similar to cricket's longstanding 'snicko' technology.
The sound technology was boosted in 2023, and there have been few public complaints about the system in the past two years.
In June, 2023, an umpire's goal call stood when Fremantle's Ethan Hughes had a long shot at goal in the final term against Richmond.
The Edge was not used in that instance as Tiger defender Nathan Broad bumped the goal padding, rendering the sound for that moment inconclusive and the umpire's decision that the ball had brushed the post stood.
While Scott's gibe against the Edge was noticed around the football industry, the coach appeared more frustrated about the Arc taking the call away from experienced goal umpire Michael Craig based on a tiny sound spike.
'I'd love to see the technology around the Edge with that shot of goal, because the goal umpire was 30cm away from that – and if he can't hear that or see that, then something's wrong. Like, the technology, please,' Scott said.
'I'm prepared to say that the Edge technology, show us that it works. Because they're saying it works off sound, the goal umpire is 30cm away from it. If he doesn't think that it hit the post, I back him over the technology any day.
'I might have a bit of inside info that it doesn't work that well.'
