Anzac Day start time tweaks revealed; Pie eyes shock return — AFL Daily

FOOT TO OFFICIATE THIS WEEKEND AS UMPS BOSS LAUNCHES STRONG DEFENCE

Nick Foot will umpire this weekend after a stormy week… but not in Port Adelaide’s game against Hawthorn.

It comes as the AFL Umpires Association strongly defended Foot in the wake of a controversial tribunal hearing where Power star Zak Butters was fined $15000 after being found guilty of verbally abusing Foot with the comment “how much are they paying you” in Gather Round.

AFL umpire appointments released earlier this week confirmemd Foot would official the Gold Coast-Essendon clash at People First Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

According to News Corp, Foot will be eligible to be assigned to Port Adelaide games moving forward as part of regular selection.

The report also states that the AFL won’t stop Foot from having his ongoing employment with Sportsbet.

The AFL Umpires Association backed 269-game umpire Foot in a statement, declaring “when an umpire’s integrity is questioned or they are accused of their authority to perform the role of the umpire is significantly diminished”.

 “For this reason, officials react strongly to any such suggestion and they are within their rights to take action. Not doing so invites other competitors to challenge the impartiality with which the umpire performs their duties,” the statement via AFK Umpires Association CEO Rob Kerr read.

Kerr said Foot “is adamant that his integrity was questioned and he acted appropriately by reporting the incident” and defended his decision to not speak with Butters afterwards.

“Those criticisms were made without an understanding that an umpire is prohibited by the Laws of the Game from speaking to a player they have reported. Nick Foot’s actions weren’t due to any heightened sensitivity, or a lack of courtesy; they were a commitment to due process as allowing reported players to approach an official invites undue influence and pressure,” the statement read.

“Maintaining this ‘no-talk’ boundary is a protective measure—not a personal slight—ensuring the process remains impartial. This standard is even more vital in community football, where allowing post-siren confrontations between emotional players and officials can escalate into dangerous situations, particularly when spectators have access to the field of play.

“While debate about the decision continues, Nick Foot has never wavered from his account. His response to what he perceived was said was entirely consistent with the expectations placed on umpires charged with protecting the game’s integrity, and he has behaved appropriately through each step of this process at the cost of significant personal discomfort, particularly with some of the online vitriol. Nick has the full support of the AFLUA.”

The Power set to appeal the Tribunal’s verdict on Butters, with the date and time still to be determined.

BOBBY HILL EYES RETURN

Bobby Hill returning to action next week?

Nine’s Owen Leonard reports the Norm Smith medallist could be back playing in a VFL game against Essendon next week after a strong training block.

Hill has been back on the track at Collingwood HQ after missing the majority of the 2026 pre-season due to a leave of absence for personal reasons.

And now he’s eyeing a long-awaited return via the VFL as early as next week on April 24 in an Anzac Day Eve clash with the Bombers.

“We could see Bobby Hill back playing as soon as next week,” Leonard said on Channel 9.

“He would still have to tick some boxes to be locked in for that game, but that is shaping as a target as it stands.

“He’s certainly impressing on the track after returning from personal issues.”

Hill has managed just one senior appearance after Round 15 last year due to to personal issues and a lack of conditioning.

VINEY OPENS UP ON ‘FRUSTRATING’ INJURY, HOPING FOR ‘MIRACLOUS’ RETURN

Injured Demons gun Jack Viney admits his current stint on the sidelines is “one of the most frustrating periods of my career,” with hopes of a “miraculous” return sooner rather than later.

Viney’s official return to play timeline is listed as TBC on the Demoms’ injury list after he underwent off-season surgery for an Achilles injury following a back issue flare up over the summer in a “complex situation.”

The 32-year old conceded on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 it’d been a challenging period for him watching on from the sidelines.

“I’m definitely going through one of the more frustrating periods of my career with injury,” he said on Wednesday night’s program.

“Bit of a sore back that’s probably stirred up the Achilles.

“It’s been a frustrating six months now where I’ve been struggling to get on the park. But I’m confident we’ll get there, it’s just taken a bit of time and a lot of patience.

“Never too old to learn some patience.”

Asked if his return would more likely to come in the second half of the season, Viney said: “Probably more likely, I would think. Unless there’s a miraculous turnaround. Fingers crossed.”

Viney added “you have your days of frustration” but he was “super excited and enthusiastic” about the direction of the 3-2 Demons under new coach Steven King.

“Just trying to chip in as much as I can, help the big fellas Max (Gawn) out with the leadership. keep driving the club forward,” Viney said.