AFL backs umpire over dissent call
The AFL has backed in its umpire handing Carlton a double goal over Fremantle player Jordan Clark’s dissent but admitted it missed the touched kick that set up the Blues incredible last-gasp victory.
The league on Sunday made clear Clark’s decision to remonstrate with the umpire was sufficiently demonstrative for the umpire to award the free kick from 30m out.
Carlton’s George Hewett had kicked the ball to Matt Cottrell but replays showed it touched Fremantle defender James Aish’s forearm.
The ball deflected metres off its initial line but then landed with Cottrell, who marked and kicked the go-ahead goal.
The league made clear on Sunday that the deflection had been missed by its umpires. But under AFL rules the ARC cannot use its video technology to overrule general umpiring decisions.
Only shots at goals and goal line decisions can use the ARC facility despite calls for a captain’s call or the capacity for players to ask for a review in general play.
Amid complaints about the speed of games and number of video reviews, the league has no plans to slow down the game more.
There has been no general crackdown on dissent this week from the AFL after other demonstrative complaints went unpunished.
But the AFL is comfortable that Clark’s words to the umpire were so unacceptable it was a clear breach of the dissent rule.
He apologised to the umpire post-match after an incident which even saw teammate Brandon Walker try to hold him back.
It came as former AFL umpire Michael Pell lashed Clark in a tweet about his former behaviour with umpires.
Pell said he had not learnt his lesson after being warned about umpire abuse.
“The irony in all this is that I warned Jordan Clark in a Covid 14v14 nothing game when he was a spoilt brat and carrying on that he needed to stop abusing umpires,” Pell wrote on X. “Guess he still hasn’t learnt.” Fremantle coach Juston Longmuir said Clark should have ignored the non-decision to re-set and try to win the game.