AFL CEO Andrew Dillon says the league is increasingly alarmed by a rise in careless contact with umpires, prompting a mid-season crackdown aimed at curbing a disciplinary trend that shows no signs of slowing.
Speaking on SEN, Dillon explained the decision to formally warn clubs that repeated umpire contact could now lead to Tribunal referrals and even potential suspensions.
“We are concerned about the number of umpire contacts that are happening,” Dillon said. “Back in 2022, we had six for the year, it was low 20s in 2023, up to 50 last year, and then we've already had 60 this year.”
He added that the league had been proactive, warning clubs in pre-season, again in April, and most recently at a CEOs' conference, to remind all parties that Tribunal escalation was always an option.
‘Not a surprise’ if Tribunal referrals follow, says Dillon
Dillon insisted the AFL wasn’t shifting goalposts mid-season but merely adding clarity:
“What we have done – we did it in April, we did it at the start of the year – is just reminding clubs and players that the ability to refer to the Tribunal just sits there. And just putting some clarity around when we might use that, so if it did happen, it wasn’t a surprise.”
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Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell is reportedly already on four strikes, meaning one more incident could trigger serious consequences, something Suns coach Damien Hardwick has bristled at.
Pressed on whether fans and coaches have overreacted, Dillon was measured:
“I think if you take things to the extremes, you can always do that. The health and safety of our players is paramount… absolutely, it’s the same for our umpires.”
Of the 60 incidents this year, every one has occurred at stoppages, not as a result of the league’s four-umpire system.