Senior umpires urge AFL to "reconsider its position."GETTY IMAGES
Senior umpires have pleaded with the Australian Football League to "reconsider its position on umpire contact," stating that the persistent fining of players "is damaging their relationship with players," according to Sam McClure of THE AGE. In the wake of "the three incidents in round eight" -- which involved Gold Coast's Steven May and Carlton's Ed Curnow and Charlie Curnow -- a "core group of senior umpires contacted the AFL to voice their displeasure with the handling of the situations." One of the "key mantras" for AFL umpires going into the '18 season was to "build strong relationships with players and clubs." Several umpires "remain concerned" that players being fined "makes that goal nearly impossible to achieve." Umpire Jacob Mollison -- the official whom Richmond's Dustin Martin was fined A$1,500 ($1,106) for touching over the weekend -- "could barely even remember the incident when he was questioned about it after the game." The AFL revealed on Monday that the provisions surrounding intentional umpire contact had changed, although the league would not "admit it had changed the rules." Match Review Officer Michael Christian said, "At match review level we have decided to interpret those guidelines for intentional umpire contact as being when a player disrespectfully, aggressively, dismissively or indeed forcefully intentionally touches an umpire" (THE AGE, 6/19).
