Tribunal weasel words

Each year at this time, the AFL makes its announcement of changes for the following season. The changes for the Tribunal and Match Review Panel for 2012 are remarkable not so much for the “changes” as for the language used.

 

For example:

any striking action with a raised forearm or elbow will be classified as intentional, unless there is clear evidence the strike was not intentional;

 

This is nothing more than an attempt to look to be hard on transgressions without actually changing anything. Black will be considered yellow unless there is clear evidence that it is not yellow! What nonsense!

 

There is further pain for the MRP with the addition of “excessive exaggeration of contact in an unsportsmanlike manner” to the existing staging definition of “feigning contact”. Really, how does the MRP decide what’s excessive exaggeration? And, is excessive exaggeration OK as long as it’s done in a sportsmanlike manner?

 

This change smacks of an attempt to cover the Angus Monfries revelation that he “took a dive” when hit by Jordan Lewis. That the MRP thought Lewis’ action sufficiently serious to deal out a three-week suspension suggests they’d find it difficult to also hand out a suspension to Monfries for the same incident.

 

Other critics of the staging sanctions focus on exaggerated contact in marking contests. If you’re one of these, don’t hang by your thumbs waiting to see a forward who exaggerates a push in the back get reported for “staging”. It’s not going to happen.

 

The cops could surround these changes with chequered tape and have a constable advising browsers to “move along, there’s nothing to see here.”