Attitude towards the umps needs to change

THE AFL could look at recruiting senior club figures as part of a push to shift public perception around umpiring.

While AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking is cautiously optimistic about the effect of the widespread rule changes so far this season, he is increasingly worried about the commentary around the umpires.

Hocking said he would talk to the AFL Coaches Association about potentially recruiting some of its members to be part of a campaign.

“We have some genuine work to do in that space and it’s not within the nine games on the weekend,” Hocking said.

“It’s how umpires are being talked about, reviewed constantly within games — critically.

“They do an unbelievable job ... we need to change attitudes. “It’s an industry thing.” Hocking said it is becoming an urgent problem in the game and added that it was not a question of making umpires at the top level full- time.

He said players are “supersmart” at exploiting the rules and this puts even more pressure on the umpires.

“If we want a genuine funnel of umpires coming through. I think we need to change our language,” he said.

“It’s bloody tough to get people to sign up to be an umpire.” Hocking said on Tuesday that after five rounds, the AFL is encouraged by the initial effects of the widespread rule changes.

He said there had been 23 upset results so far, well up on the same stage in previous seasons.

Hocking also confirmed that there would be no change to teams having one warning if they do not stick to the 6-6-6 position rule at every centre bounce.

Hocking also took time yto praise Gary Ablett and Geelong for how they handled the booing of the Cats star by Hawthorn fans.

He was adamant that the booing of Ablett is different to the constant booing of Sydney star Adam Goodes towards the end of his career. Ablett starred in Geelong’s win at the MCG, with Hawks fans booing him every time he had the ball.

“For what it’s worth, I thought Gary handled it really well. He played exceptionally well,” Hocking said. “Post-match, the way he and the club handled it was very professional. You certainly wouldn’t want it (to continue) ... it comes back to Gary and the way he’s handled it.”

The booing was a major talking point out of the Cats’ big win. It drew immediate parallels to the booing of Goodes.

“I would not tie the Adam Goodes stuff into the Ablett stuff – it’s a very different situation,” Hocking said.

He said he was unsure whether the booing was tied to Ablett’s role last week in the Israel Folau controversy.