Anderson’s video obsession

Tomorrow morning’s meeting between Vlad and Adrian Anderson should be stirring stuff. AussieRulesBlog is rather glad we’re not in Anderson’s shoes.

 

In recent weeks, the hue and cry over the deficiencies of his much-vaunted goal line decision video referral ‘system’ has risen in a crescendo. It’s not that a few times it has actually worked: it’s more that the holes in the process make a Swiss cheese look solid.

 

Now, that other video obsession of the AFL’s football operations boss, the Match Review Panel, has been shown to be guessing when it charged the Saints’ Leigh Montagna with striking based on a review of game video footage.

 

“The MRP charged Montagna based on video footage, although the point at which Magner's eye was cut was inconclusive.”

 

It’s interesting that an inconclusive ‘goal line’ video apparently automatically reduces the score to the lesser option, but an inconclusive video at the MRP results in a charge and a penalty. That’s consistency for you, just like we get from the umpires week to week, quarter to quarter and decision to decision.

 

Still, we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s pretty clear from watching games that the AFL umpiring department is quite happy to have their field umpires guessing, so why should the MRP miss out on the fun?

 

Confidence in the video referral ‘system’ and the MRP is at just about rock bottom.

 

Here’s an idea, Vlad! If we have to have  video referrals and reviews, let’s base our decisions — goal line and Match review charges — on what we can actually see.