Latest news with #umpires
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Umpires will be given the job of speeding the game up amid changes new AFL football boss Greg Swann wants to see
New AFL football boss Greg Swann has put loping ruckman on the clock, booking meetings with umpires on his first day in the hot seat on Monday in a bid to speed up the game as he goes through '43 pages of stuff' people want him to fix. Swann also said fans 'deserve to understand' decisions made by umpires and the match review panel, with a plan for more transparency part of the bulk changes coming for the former Brisbane Lions chief executive. Swann started his new job on Monday and revealed the game's speed was among key issues he'd look to address, with potential changes coming as soon as he can orchestrate them. 'I've only just started, obviously, and I've got some meetings this afternoon with the umpires … but it's just around the set-ups and the waiting for rucks to get to contest,' Swann said. 'Even at boundary throw-ins, waiting for them to get there. There's a chance to actually speed that up a bit. There's good vision and video of rucks taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other while the other one stands around and waits. 'To me, that's something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the season finishes.' Swann said it was 'too early' to talk about whether the four-umpire system was working, but the bounce to start quarters and after goals could also be on the way out should the majority view of clubs come to fruition. It won't happen in 2025 but could come into play in 2026, with umpires instead just throwing the ball up. 'We'll do some work on it,' Swann said. 'In the next little bit, I'll get around to all the clubs and just get their views. I've had some clubs already ring and give me their views and I'd say the majority are in favour of throwing the ball up, but we've got to do a little bit of work around that. 'Obviously, that's not going to happen until next year, but we'll have a look at that as well.' Swann said transparency around decisions made by match review officer Michael Christian, in the spotlight this week after Melbourne defender Steven May was sent straight to the tribunal, was something that could be addressed to alleviate supporter angst. 'We're not going to explain everything away because otherwise you'd be here all day,' Swann said. 'But there's some things that are a bit contentious that I think people deserve to understand why we've gone a certain way.' Despite impending changes, Swann was adamant the AFL was the 'best game in the world' and anything he did from now was purely to make it as good as it could be. 'I lived up in Queensland obviously and you get rugby league and everything else – our game leaves them in the shade,' he said. 'There's nothing radical that needs to happen because I think the game's a fantastic game. Viewership, attendances, memberships – they're all as high as they've ever been. We just want to make sure that the game is good.'
ABC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Greg Swann rules out shortening AFL quarter lengths, will resist making 'radical' changes
AFL football performance boss Greg Swann has hinted play could be sped up before the end of the season as he prioritises reducing the length of matches in his new role. Insisting he won't be making "radical" changes to the game, Swann is also eager to see the umpires throw the ball up rather than bouncing it in the centre of the ground. The veteran administrator has ruled out reducing the 20-minute playing time for each quarter, but believes the league can tighten up in situations where umpires are waiting for players to get to ruck contests and boundary throw-ins. "There's a chance to actually speed that up a bit," Swann told reporters on Monday. "There's good vision and video of ruckmen taking 20 seconds to come from one end of the ground to the other. "Everyone stands around and waits, so to me that's something that hopefully we can have a look at and maybe address even before the season finishes." Swann said it was too early to tell whether the ball would be bounced to open the 2026 season, but has received strong support from "a majority" of clubs for his plan to scrap the bounce. He is also keen to introduce more transparency around key AFL decisions, including those under the match review system. "We're not going to explain everything away because otherwise you'd be here all day," Swann said. "But there's some things that are a bit contentious that I think people deserve to understand why we've gone a certain way." Swann gave his tick of approval to the controversial 50-metre penalty paid against Fremantle's Karl Worner for dissent on Sunday, and declared umpires have been doing a "fantastic job" this season. "One of the things that's difficult for the umpires is the rules; we just need to try and make them a bit simpler," Swann said. "Whether it's the stand (rule), whether it's holding the ball … that's something that I'm really keen to talk to clubs and coaches and footy managers about. "Is there an easier way for these guys to have to adjudicate it?" While AFL traditionalists often call on the league to "leave the game alone", Swann flagged innovation as being crucial to the competition's ongoing success. "It's the best game there is but the reason for that is we keep trying to make it better, and I think that's what we should do," he said. AAP
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Can't do that': Jake Stringer facing sanction from AFL after GWS victory
Jake Stringer looks likely to become the latest player to fall foul of the AFL's crackdown on careless contact with umpires, in what would take some shine off his starring performance on Thursday night. Stringer destroyed his former club as GWS beat Essendon by 48 points at Marvel Stadium. The former Essendon player kicked three goals on Thursday night to help the Giants pummel the injury-hit Bombers. But the performance has been soured somewhat by a potential fine that could be looming. The AFL announced a crackdown on players making contact with umpires earlier this month, after a spate of incidents in the last 12 months. Players can now be sent directly to the AFL Tribunal for four offences in a two-year period - as occurred with Carlton's Adam Cerra this week. And Stringer appeared to land himself in hot water when he ran into the back of an umpire late in Thursday night's game. "There's a fine," Kane Cornes said in commentary for Channel 7. "The players have been warned they can't run into the space when an umpire is backing out of a stoppage like that." Stringer was jostling with an Essendon player during a ball-up, and inadvertently collided with the back-tracking umpire. But under AFL rules the player is at fault and has to show more care. It was the only dampener on Stringer's triumphant display against his former club. After playing 123 games for Essendon, the 31-year-old moved to the Giants last off-season to try to get the most out of the latter part of his career. Injuries have plagued his time in Sydney, but he's starting to find some form at just the right time. His three-goal performance came after he kicked four against Geelong the week before. The veteran had 18 disposals and three score involvements, and also took a speccy over one of his best friends Jayden Laverde. "He was quite nervous coming into the game, but I thought he played with a lot of respect and competed hard," GWS coach Adam Kingsley said. "Took a mark on his one of his best mates, so I think he was pretty happy with that." GWS and Essendon coaches praise Jake Stringer Kingsley hailed the way Stringer has been playing for his teammates. "That's been a bit of a trademark of his last month for us," the coach said. "He's been able to kick some miraculous goals, particularly that Gold Coast game. "But then the West Coast game, you saw a real selflessness, giving goals off, where he had every right to take those shots. Then we saw that again (against Essendon), running into open an goal and handballs to a guy in the goal square (Max Gruzewski). His intent to chase, tackle, pressure feels like it's at a really good level." RELATED: Collingwood urged to enquire about 'disgruntled' Hawthorn player Harley Reid's eight-word taunt for Jason Horne-Francis revealed Essendon coach Brad Scott was also full of praise for Stringer, despite his side being on the wrong end of the result. "When his team's playing well, Jake can finish as well as anyone," Scott said. "Despite what people may think - I'd actually prefer it wasn't tonight - but I'm very pleased for him. He wanted to prolong his career. We're going in a different direction. I see the result there as a win-win." with AAP
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Our experts' solutions to cricket's slow play problem
Thrilling though much of the action has been, England's Test series with India has been blighted by all manner of dark arts and delaying tactics in order to exact marginal gains and frustrate the opposition. We asked our cricket writers how best to deal with this growing problem. Bowl 90 overs – however long it takes I have really never understood why we bowl 90 overs on day five, going as late as we need to get the overs in, but just knock it on the head at 6.30pm on the other days. I think if the players knew that we had to bowl 90 overs, regardless of the time it finishes, that would focus their minds. It was great theatre watching Zak Crawley chew up minutes at Lord's knowing they were finishing at 6.30, but it wouldn't have even been on the cards if everyone involved knew they were carrying on regardless of the time. England would have had to front up and face the music. It's all kicking off at Lord's! Zak Crawley is doing everything to slow down the final over of the day, the Indian players are sarcastically applauding as he calls over the physio... 🍿 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2025 The players don't want to be finishing at 7.45pm. They want to be out of the ground and resting up long before then. I think that would help us see fewer unofficial drinks breaks, bathroom stops and the rest. It would be in the umpires' interests to get it done too. It would probably mean play does finish a bit later, but I can't see anyone not wanting that. Broadcasters and punters get more content and value overall. It's quite simple: you have to bowl 90 overs in a day regardless of the time. Start at 10.30am and don't end play until 90 overs are bowled Two simple tweaks will solve this problem. The start time in England should be shifted half an hour earlier to 10.30am with a two-and-a-half-hour opening session. This was the time the 2005 Ashes started, and 11am has only become the norm in the Sky monopoly era because they have clear schedules on their sports channels, whereas the terrestrial broadcasters such as Channel 4 needed the cricket to be finished before prime time. The other change is to make it a regulation that all 90 overs are bowled in a day. It happens on day five, so why not days one to four? If they have to go off for bad light, fine, that is part of cricket. But if the players know they have to bowl the overs, like they do in white-ball cricket, then inevitably they will get on with it. The earlier start time also takes in one crucial factor. The game has been slowed by technology. When Dickie Bird was umpiring, his decisions were final. There was no on-field checking. Now we have multiple stoppages for technology. Teams have 15 seconds to decide on a review. Those reviews follow a set protocol, often checking for things that are irrelevant, such as whether the batsman has got a nick on the ball when they have clearly missed it. Every line call is double-checked such as run-outs and stumpings even when, again, it is clearly not out and the fielders, batsmen and umpires have taken up their positions while everyone hangs around waiting for the 'not out' verdict on the screen. How often do we have to wait an age while the third umpire checks whether a fielder's left bootlace has touched the boundary sponge therefore making it a four and not a three? Then we have deliberations over whether catches carried or not, causing an endless checking of replays. Concussion tests are mandatory even if a player is clearly fine and has just had a small glancing blow to a modern helmet. When did we last see a player fail a concussion test? These are all stoppages previous generations never had to worry about. And finally, just empower the umpires to crack down more on slow play and shoo away 12th men with water bottles and bananas when they try to sneak on for unscheduled drinks breaks. Fine players – and umpires – a portion of their match fee The first thing to accept is that in countries where seamers bowl more overs, 15 per hour all day is a pipe-dream due to innovations like Decision Review System (DRS), boundary checks and concussion protocols. More realistic is 13 or 14. Once you accept that, you can start having a serious conversation about how we get 90 overs bowled in a day. As we have seen in this India series, it is also not only the responsibility of the fielding side to set the pace of play. The batsmen have arguably wasted more time than the bowling teams so far. For that reason, I struggle with run-penalties, and we have seen that deducting World Test Championship points doesn't really work, either. Like Nick, I would start at 10.30am, with the close at 6.30pm. It was good enough in the Channel 4 days, and good enough for the World Test Championship final, so why not for normal home Tests? I would allow lunch to be taken only when 30 overs have been bowled, and tea after 60. For each over lost at the end of the day, I would fine every player and both umpires a portion of their match fee, and identify individuals causing the biggest delays, and double their fine. The umpires need to take more control. No random drinks breaks, no mid-session bathroom breaks, no begging for ball changes when the conditions suit. Have a shot clock, and actually use it. Empower umpires and ensure 15 overs in final hour Long before DRS, over-rates were in long-term decline. From an average of 110.5 six-ball overs in six hours of Test cricket in the 1950s, there were 86.1 in the 1980s. In the 2020s, that number has fallen to just 81.5, according to Benedict Bermange, Sky Sports' statistician. Yet while over-rates have plummeted, playing regulations have not adjusted to this reality. Officially, all Test match days still only comprise six hours, with an extra half-hour available in case the overs are not bowled in time. In reality, even with the extra half-hour, there is not enough time in the average day for 90 overs to be bowled. The first step administrators should take is to extend the Test day. In England, all Tests should start at 10.30am, with an extended session until lunch. That would mean the playing time in a day could expand to up to seven hours. The extra time per match would allow for at least 30 extra overs to be bowled. This change should be accompanied by an equally important shift: empowering umpires. The third and fourth days at Lord's both culminated in farcical time-wasting from the batting teams, desperate to avoid having to face an extra over. Happily, there is a simple solution. During the final day of Test matches, when the last hour begins, there are a guaranteed 15 overs, regardless of how long they take. The same rule should be applied to the last hour of every day in every Test. At the same time, umpires should clamp down on players, whether from the batting or bowling team, slowing down the pace of play: for instance, barring drinks coming on within minutes of a previous drinks break. And when, say, there are five minutes of a session remaining, and the batting side desperately want to ensure that they only have to face a solitary over? Umpires should tell both sides that there will be two overs of extra cricket no matter what. Kumar Sangakkara makes a valid point that 80 high-class overs make for better entertainment than 90 overs with padding. For example do we really want to see Joe Root whipping through five or six overs of flat offies to get England's over-rate up? No, quality has to be more important than quantity. Yet there has to be a minimum standard, otherwise the number of overs per day will continue to decrease and the interruptions to increase. I would trial 85 overs per day with a start time of 10.45am. So the game has an extra 45 minutes, instead of the current 30, to catch up with the minimum overs. Sounds like a compromise, I know, but I think it is a good place to draw a line in the sand. There is no point in wishing for a return to the good old days of 20 or even 15 overs per hour. The concussion tests have to be done every time someone is hit on the helmet. DRS reviews do not detract from the drama: if anything they keep everyone guessing and heighten it. And the last thing you want Test cricketers to be doing is to focus on time and the number of overs, for that way limited-overs cricket lies. Tests are best because they are to all intents a fight to the finish without any constrictions of time.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
George Lombard records a walk and stolen base
Carlos Mendoza on frustrations with the umpires 'the whole game' after Mets loss to Yankees Following the Mets' 6-4 loss to the Yankees, Carlos Mendoza spoke about his frustrations with the umpires, Starling Marte's knee flaring up in the ninth inning, and taking two of three from the Yankees.
