Latest news with #umpirecontact

News.com.au
21 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL, Suns on ‘crash course' over ump contact as star bristles in blunt interview
Matt Rowell and the Suns are on a 'crash course with the AFL' over umpire contact after the star midfielder again had multiple close shaves during their 41-point win over Essendon on Saturday. During the week, the league announced it would crack down on careless player-umpire contact, with suspensions to potentially be dished out to repeat offenders. Rowell has been fined four times across the past two years, with another misstep to possibly cost him a ban. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. And after coach Damien Hardwick midweek said 'look out' if Rowell was to be banned for another discretion, the prolific contested ball-winner said on Saturday he hadn't taken any steps to alter his approach to the contest. In a post-game interview with Fox Footy's Sarah Jones, Rowell was abrupt when questioned about the umpire contact situation. 'I haven't changed anything,' he told Jones after Gold Coast's 18.7 (115) to 11.8 (74) win. Asked if he had spoken to Hardwick on any tinkers to his style of play that would prevent contact, Rowell was again stern in his response. 'I'm just going to keep doing me,' he said. Herald Sun chief football writer Jay Clark remarked that the situation was 'red rag to a bull', with Gold Coast clearly unhappy with the AFL's sudden shift. 'Gold Coast is on a crash course with the AFL over this matter. There were so many close shaves ... as he (Rowell) says, he's not going to change anything,' Clark told Fox Footy's Super Saturday Live. 'The AFL wants the players to change their behaviour on this front. It's red rag to a bull. 'They (the AFL) said they don't really want to suspend players for this, but if they're going to do it a bit brazenly and not modify their behaviour, maybe they have to.' Two-time premiership Kangaroo David King said it was the second time this year Hardwick had taken aim at league headquarters, predicting a suspension for Rowell if there was to be another instance of umpire contact in the coming weeks. 'I reckon it's the second middle finger for the year (from) Damien Hardwick ... and this one is straight at Andrew Dillon, and I don't think he'll take it well,' King said. 'I think that if there is contact to be made in the next few weeks, he will get a suspension, because they've warned, and they've ignored. 'It's a pretty serious thing to be doing in the back half of the year.' Western Bulldogs icon Brad Johnson added: 'He (Rowell) is walking the fine line. We all know what the outcome is now, so it's on Rowell and the Gold Coast to either change behaviour, or it could hurt them at the end of the year.' Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson during the match broadcast suggested Rowell and Hardwick were on the same page with their displeasure about the AFL's mid-season crackdown. 'I think sometimes you're an extension of the coach in terms of the messaging, and when (he said) 'I'm just going to do what I do', and that means 'I'm going to dance with the devil' in these particular plays,' he said. 'Obviously, they're not happy as a club about it, and they've told him to go out and play his natural game, almost to the point where 'I'm going to put myself in this spot, and what will be will be'. 'I think it's a stance, often when you hear a player talk like that, it's coming from the coach, and a bit of a line in the sand ... 'we're not going to cop this anymore' type of attitude, and I think Dimma has instilled that in some of his players. 'This particular issue seems to have sparked something in Dimma's profile.' Four-time flag-winner Jordan Lewis said: 'I think, if I'm the AFL watching that, I am not too pleased, to be honest. But that's the risk they want to run.' At half-time of Bombers-Suns, Lewis expressed concern about Rowell's approach amid multiple examples from the first half at Docklands where the hard-headed midfielder had multiple close shaves with men in green. 'He either didn't see the memo that came out, (or) he hasn't been spoken to by club officials,' Lewis said on Fox Footy. 'Seriously, you cannot set up like that. You cannot run the risk of then getting another fine and a potential suspension. 'I just cannot believe after the week that he's had to then set up behind the umpire and run the risk.' Lewis believed it meant the AFL would be more likely to suspend Rowell as a result of unchanged behaviour. 'No doubt, whatsoever. The umpires have sent out a memo, they've fined Matt Rowell last week $5,000,' he said. 'If he doesn't get the message from those two things, maybe the next thing is a suspension.'

News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Suns coach Damien Hardwick explodes at AFL's umpire contact change
Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick has taken aim at the AFL in the wake of a league-wide change to umpire contact. Earlier this week the AFL announced that players hit with a fourth or subsequent careless umpire contact charge within the past two seasons will likely be sent straight to the tribunal. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The change puts star Suns midfielder Matt Rowell in line for a ban if he is to be penalised again this season. Hardwick delivered a fiery and passionate rant in the direction of the league's head office as he called out a double standard in the change. 'If it leads to a suspension, look out from our point of view,' the three-time premiership coach said. 'I know we're the Gold Coast Suns, and don't get me wrong, Matt Rowell is a superstar, but if this was spoken about with Nick Daicos, Collingwood would tear the place down. 'Let's sit there and understand what we're talking about here. 'We can make a change about umpire adjudication, but we've been calling out for change to the tribunal for a period of time. Why can we, with the swipe of a pen, change one but not the other? 'End of rant'. Hardwick joined the chorus of senior coaches - including Brad Scott and Ross Lyon - to point out that majority of the incidents come from the centre bounce. The three-time flag-winning coach had a unique suggestion for the second half of the season as an alternative solution. 'What can you tell me about the centre bounce of the ball? It goes anywhere, so it's really really hard for the players ... if the ball bounces sideways, they're going to move,' he said. 'Have the AFL spoken to the AFL Commission and asked, 'can we, for the remainder of the year, take away the centre bounce and throw it up and see if there's any significant change in the data?'. 'Some of those ones against Rowelly, what he's getting fined for, are quite laughable, to be perfectly honest. 'We understand the health and safety of the umpires is important, but I think we can look at speaking to the Commission about getting rid of the bounce and throwing it up.' Outside of Rowell, St Kilda's Jack Macrae (four) and Carlton's Adam Cerra (three) are other top line stars now facing suspension if they transgress again this campaign. There have been 63 charges laid for careless umpire contact so far in 2025 following 56 charges in total in 2024 and 20 in 2023.

News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Ross Lyon joins chorus of coaches openly criticising AFL over fines and penalties
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says fines are not the solution to solve player discipline as coaches continue to react to an increase in monetary sanctions that is nearing $1m across recent seasons. The tally for fines in 2025 alone is closing in on $500,000 through 17 rounds, with 37 players fined $49,250 in round 16. In the wake of an AFL crackdown on umpire contact this week, which could lead to increased fines or even suspensions, Essendon coach Brad Scott labelled the fine situation as 'outrageous' and Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick questioned how a change could be made mid-season. The AFL Players Association also called for a 'forum' to review the entire match review and tribunal system. '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,' AFLPA chief executive Ben Smith said. 'These fines aren't proportionate to the acts committed. '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.' St Kilda great and assistant coach, Robert Harvey, met with the umpires last week to help his club navigate the increasingly dicey waters, but Lyon declared just increasing fines was not a way to curb player behaviour. 'I don't think fines are the solution on anything,' he said on Thursday, 'I don't think I've ever fined a player in my life to get a decision or an action. Ultimately, it's all about education and setting a framework. 'Most of (umpire contact) occurs in the centre bounce. The debate from players and midfield coaches with the umpiring fraternity is what's the right exit and protected area. If the principle is, and we know it is, umpire health and safety, it's the right thing to be doing. 'But it's just finding the right solution.' AFL boss Andrew Dillon defended the crackdown and said it was merely reinforcing existing rules. 'There hasn't been a change in policy,' he said. 'This was something that's part of the tribunal guidelines that if there's multiple financial sanctions we can refer it to the tribunal. 'We wrote to the clubs at the start of the year and in again in April advising them we may do that, just to put the players on notice. 'We haven't seen a change in player behaviour, so I advised the club CEOs at a meeting on Tuesday. All the CEOs completely understood the situation. 'What we want to do is avoid the contact where its avoidable. We know it can be done.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns coach savages AFL over late-season rule change
Frustrated Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick is warning the AFL to "look out" if Suns star Matt Rowell is banned under changes to umpire contact penalties. Hardwick is seething that Rowell is among a batch of AFL players facing a possible suspension if he makes contact with an umpire again. The Suns' prime mover has already been fined four times in a two-year span for careless contact with an umpire. Under a rule change announced this week by the AFL, any player who makes careless contact with an umpire four or more times in a two-year period faces being sent to the tribunal and a possible ban. Hardwick savaged the "frustrating" late-season change. "If it leads to a suspension, look out from our point of view," Hardwick told reporters on Thursday. "I know we're the Gold Coast Suns. And don't get me wrong, Matt Rowell is a superstar. "But if this was spoken about with Nick Daicos, Collingwood would tear the place down. "Let's sit there and understand what we're talking about here. "We can make changes about umpire adjudication, but we've been calling out for change to the tribunal for a period of time. "Why can we, with the swipe of a pen, change one and not the other?" The AFL changed the rules after 63 incidents of players making careless contact with umpires this season. All have resulted in a financial sanction. Hardwick said most incidents were at centre bounces. "What can you tell me about the centre bounce of the ball?" he said. "It goes anywhere, so it's really really hard for the players ... if the ball bounces sideways, they're going to move. "Have the AFL spoken to the AFL Commission and asked: 'Can we, for the remainder of the year, take away the centre bounce and throw it up and see if there's any significant change in the data?' "Some of those ones against Rowelly, what he's getting fined for, are quite laughable to be perfectly honest. "We understand the health and safety of the umpires is important. "But I think we can look at speaking to the commission about getting rid of the bounce and throwing it up." The AFL said in the entirety of last season, there were 56 incidents of players making careless contact with an umpire, following only 20 such cases in 2023.