Best and worst of video review

AussieRulesBlog ventured to the MCG last night to take in the spectacular Preliminary Final clash between the Hawks and the Cats. It was a wonderful game, not even spoiled by the screaming banshees sitting behind us who maintained a manic cheering for the Hawks from first bounce to last. At least whoever has the misfortune to live with them won’t be listening to them today — there’s no way they’d be able to raise even a whisper after last night’s effort.

 

As a disinterested observer, we noticed two video review incidents that showed the potential for a properly-implemented system and a mis-use of the system as blatant as we can remember.

 

First to the good. The ball flew goalward and a defender leapt and tapped the ball at full stretch. It was a heroic effort, but the goal line camera clearly showed the ball had completely crossed the line before being touched. This is how the system works when it is properly resourced.

 

Now, unfortunately, to the bad. It will seem strange that we say this video review did enable the correct decision to be made. A ball popped off a boot in a contest near the boundary line and was signalled out of bounds on the full by the boundary umpire. Correct. But then we went to a video review! Incorrect!

 

When this half-baked system was introduced, the departed and unlamented Adrian Anderson told us it was a goal line video review system. Never mind that it was improperly resourced for the task. The Giesch’s mob have happily called for its use for all sorts of things since. Was a ball touched off the boot, was a ball correctly kicked by foot or did it roll off a knee or thigh, and so on.

 

Through the AFL, we in the football community pay umpires to be sharp-eyed and observant and to make decisions based on what they see. AussieRulesBlog can understand there will be times when the umpire is unsure, and where there’s a fixed and definite parameter — such as a the goal line — there are opportunities to use technology to assist.

 

But we remain of the opinion, reinforced by the experience of video review thus far in AFL, that reviews should only be called upon where the goal umpire is seriously unsighted or countermanded by another official. Let our umpires do the work for which they’re paid. We’re pretty sure they’re not keen on cherry-picking just the easy decisions, and the football community has to have faith that they are doing the job impartially and to the highest standard.