No easy fix for ball rule: Ump

FORMER AFL umpires boss Peter Schwab fears holding the ball confusion will remain as long as the “philosophical” debate over who should get the benefit of the doubt remains.

As he called for the league to move to four umpires to better adjudicate marking contests, Schwab conceded there was unlikely to be an easy fix for the holding the ball dilemma.

“The holding the ball rule is just so complex, I don’t know the answer,” Schwab said.

“That’s a philosophical question that we ebb and flow between who should get the benefit of the doubt — should it be the player who goes and gets the ball or should it be the tackler?

“As long as they keep struggling with what they should focus on there, they will always have an issue with it.”

The AFL reached out to St Kilda and Adelaide and apologised for umpiring inconsistencies after 12 holding the ball decisions were paid on Monday night.

AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking acknowledged there were decisions in the game that were “either missed or unwarranted free kicks”.

Hocking said the league continued to strive for more consistency in decisionmaking in the face of growing confusion.

The interpretation surrounding the holding the ball rule was tightened three weeks ago on the back of criticism from Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.

Schwab said it was dangerous to make changes to rules on the run.

“If it (rule interpretation) alternates week to week, or a couple of weeks, and there is a slight tweak, that’s when the players and coaches find it difficult,” he said.

“Not only them, but the umpires too, because you have got to re-educate your umpires as to what is holding the ball.”