A senior ARC official will have increased communication with the goal umpire for the finals series, in a move the AFL hopes will avoid score review controversy in September and beyond.
The contentious system was placed under immense scrutiny this week after a goal to Adelaide’s Ben Keays was judged to be a point and not reviewed by the goal umpire in the dying stages against Sydney.
The Herald Sun reports the league will now install a senior ARC official for the finals, with the official to urge the goal umpire to hold up play before signalling the score, should the ARC believe the decision should be reviewed.
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As it stands, only a field umpire can delay play and suggest a score review to the goal umpire, rather than a member of the ARC.
In addition to the senior official, another ARC member will be responsible for the review itself.
The league is also expecting goal umpires to review any borderline decisions in round 24.
Prior to Keays, Melbourne was also at the centre of a controversial moment with the ARC.
A review was called for after Christian Petracca’s shot at goal in the final minute of Melbourne’s game against Carlton, but vision was found to be inconclusive.
It meant the umpire’s soft call of a behind stood and Carlton hung on for victory.
Petracca told AFL 360 this week he believed his shot wasn’t touched and was a goal.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said this week he had told his players to vent and then move on.
“I gave them a minute to vent and get out any anger they had, and we put a countdown timer on it and said that’ll do,” Nicks said on Wednesday.
“Whatever gets it off your chest – they had a chat to the guy next to them and we just talked through it … and moved on.
“It’s not genuine discussion, it’s a statement to move on and we do that week in, week out.
“If you dwell on the past, then you’re not going to move forward.”
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