The AFL’s goal review system has again come under fire for overuse, with the flagwavers in Brisbane and Collingwood’s Round 3 opener criticised.
Round 2’s Adelaide vs Geelong match saw a 37-minute opening quarter amid a “mountain of indecision” as any potentially touchy call was sent to the ARC for review.
The trend only continued in the opening term of the Grand Final rematch, which lasted 33 minutes despite just six goals being kicked.
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It appears the blunder in Adelaide’s loss to Sydney last year, where the goal review process was not followed properly arguably costing the Crows a spot in the finals, has seen the umpires – whether officially told by their bosses, or off their own back – calling for a review much more often to avoid mistakes.
But this comes at the cost of delays, and with all goals supposed to be reviewed on the way back to the centre bounce, it has left commentators and ex-players alike frustrated.
Brisbane’s opening goal of the game through Cam Rayner was reviewed for whether it hit the goalpost, despite there being well over a ball’s space between the actual ball and the post.
“Aww, come on,” commentator Brian Taylor said on Seven as he saw the size of the gap.
Hawthorn great Luke Hodge added: “This is why the ball should be going back to the middle.
“When the ball goes back, every goal gets reviewed, that’s what should be done. So we just wasted 30 seconds.”
The following goal, by Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott, was certainly closer though it was impossible to tell how close it was to the post due to the speed and rotation of the ball; instead requiring a check of the Ultra Edge, but there was no spike.
It took another 30-odd seconds to declare the goal.
“There was way too much of this (last) Friday night in Adelaide,” James Brayshaw said.
“And those first two, certainly the Rayner goal, I don’t know how you’re sending that up?”
Brian Taylor replied: “Petrified of making mistakes.”
