CATS ASK FOR UMP AT TRAINING
GEELONG welcomed a new face to training yesterday, with AFL umpire Troy Pannell in attendance after being invited by the club.
Pannell officiated during the Cats’ 15-point loss to Adelaide last Thursday and was yesterday on hand to help Chris Scott and his assistants, along with senior players, gain a greater understanding of interpretations of certain rules.
Part of the session included Pannell adjudicating match simulation drills.
Scott said Pannell’s presence at training was nothing out of the ordinary, adding it provided an opportunity for Geelong to educate its players about how and why specific decisions were made.
“We try to get an umpire down as often as possible and we are in the fortunate position that Troy has been available to come down (and) given he umpired our game last week he has got some insights that would be fresh in his mind,” Scott said.
“It is just a continual process for us to educate ourselves around how the rules are being interpreted and similar in the way that our game style evolves through the year, I think the umpire interpretations evolve as well.
“Sometimes they are not necessarily directed by the umpiring coaches or the powers that be at the AFL, it is just the way that it happens.
“We’re not saying that is a negative thing, but if you acknowledge that it is changing then it is incumbent on us to make sure that we change with them.”
Scott said there were particular rules he felt were being umpired differently now than what they had been earlier in the season.
Of most concern was the interpretation of the prior opportunity rule and how, to his eye, it had evolved throughout the season. But Scott said the point of the exercise was all about gain- ing a greater understanding.
“It’s only my observation so I’m not saying it is a fact but I think the tightening of the interpretation of prior opportunity with holding the ball means it’s much more line ball between what constitutes prior opportunity and what doesn’t,” he said.
“There has clearly been a big push from various people in the industry to really tighten up prior opportunity, even to the point where there should be no prior opportunity.
“We are less worried about what the rule is or what the rule is going to be or the current interpretation, we are more concerned around our understanding of it … it’s foolhardy to complain, it’s more important to make sure you completely understand it and coach your players and give them some cues to make sure that they know when they have had prior opportunity it is incumbent on them to get an effective disposal away.”