THE AFL has changed the rule on balls hitting goal umpires after a controversial incident involving Eddie Betts during the NAB Challenge.
Umpires called play-on – correctly, according to the rules – after the Crow's shot for goal hit the goal umpire and bounced back into play during a match against North Melbourne in Port Lincoln.
The kick would have been a goal had it not hit the umpire, and bemused the Crows players who were involved in the passage of play, including Betts himself.
On Thursday, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said a change would be immediately implemented that would allow umpires to decide what score would have resulted if the ball had not hit the umpire.
If they are unable to decide, and any video evidence is inconclusive, the lesser score will result.
Umpires director Wayne Campbell told AFL.com.au's show First Bouncelast month, "They got the ruling correct. Technically it was correct and they handled it well other than obviously the goal umpire being in the wrong position."
A quirk of the rule as it stood meant that if the ball had hit the umpire and continued through for a goal, it would have been paid the full six points.
That it bounced back into play meant it was the right decision to call play-on.
The AFL has also updated its concussion protocols with the introduction of the use of a sideline Head Injury Assessment Form, created in conjunction with experts and club doctors.
The AFL said it provided greater clarity for club doctors to identify symptoms or conditions that would automatically exclude a player from returning to a match, such as:
- Loss of consciousness after a heavy hit or fall;
- Tonic posturing (a player's arm(s) stiffening after impact);
- An unprotected fall (where the player 'rag-dolls').
The form also identifies symptoms or conditions that require further assessment to clear a player of concussion before returning to a match.
