Veteran AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain has explained two contentious umpiring moments from Round 9.
SEN’s Gerard Whateley quizzed Chamberlain on the incidents with the first cab off the rank the decision to not award Collingwood’s Bobby Hill a high-tackle free kick in the third quarter of Sunday’s win over GWS.
Pies fans erupt with no decision here. Should Bobby hill have been paid a free kick, or HTB for a shrug?
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While Chamberlain conceded Hill was clearly collected high, he believes the umpire made the right call as the Magpie undertook an action to add to the contact being high by lowering himself.
Chamberlain says the umpires have been directed to not award high tackles in such incidents since last season.
“This was something that came into the game last year and we discussed it,” Chamberlain explained on SEN's Whateley.
“Last year there was this increased prevalence of where the player who is in possession of the football was undertaking some actions and behaviours that add to the contact being high.
“So, the (Hill) tackle isn't egregious, it isn’t a vicious swinging arm.
“The tackler is demonstrating a duty of care and goes about attempting to tackle the player in a fair and reasonable manner.
“But by virtue of the player (Hill) and it might be a shrug, it might be a duck or in this instance, it might be where the player elects to lower himself. As a result of that, the tackle ends up being high.
“So, in those instances, the game said to the officials where the ball carrier behaviour impacts the tackle being high, we're not going to reward that, we're not going to reward that player with a free kick.”
While some fans believe the decision should be holding the ball if not awarded a free kick the other way, Chamberlain says umpires have been told that shrugs or a player lowering themselves should not be considered prior opportunity.
“Dropping or a shrug does not constitute prior opportunity, that's really important in this,” Chamberlain said.
“Everyone at home will have their own view on whether he did drop or he didn't or whatever, that’s great, you can have that.
“But let's just talk about what the game's asking of the officials, if you decide that he's dropped, and he has not had a prior opportunity … it's a ball up.
“So, this idea of it has to be one of two things is not true.”
The other incident occurred in Friday’s Richmond v Geelong game, with the umpire not paying a push in the back to Mark O’Connor after it appeared he was infringed by Dustin Martin.
The Dustin Martin "shove" mark multi-call (3AW/MMM/AFL Nation/ABC) #AFLTigersCats pic.twitter.com/jrMwMCk0gL
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Chamberlain admitted Martin should have been penalised for his action in the contest.
“That's just an error on field error from an umpire which we don't try and do,” Chamberlain said.
“But you're not allowed to push in the back in a marking contest.
“So, we would expect a free kick to be paid there and we've just made a mistake and we're all human.”
Listen to Whateley’s full chat with Chamberlain below.
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