Goal review howlers like the one that could have cost GWS a grand final berth could be a thing of the past if the AFL goes ahead with a proposed player challenge system.
The league could allow players to challenge decisions made by goal umpires as soon as next season, football chief Steve Hocking has revealed.
The move, which would shift some of the onus to players when it comes to touched-off-the-boot calls only, was discussed at the AFL’s competition committee meeting in Melbourne on Tuesday.
It comes after the league admitted a goal was incorrectly awarded to Collingwood’s Josh Thomas in this year’s preliminary final when GWS won by four points.
All goals are routinely scrutinised by the AFL Review Centre (ARC), but Hocking believes a player challenge system would allow officials to take more time to get decisions correct.
In the Thomas example, the Giants could have potentially been cost a grand final berth after the AFL was forced to admit the reviewer failed to see Lachie Keeffe’s fingers brush the ball in the frantic final minutes at the MCG.
“We want to provide the player and also the team with the ability to follow it through strongly and it also allows us greater time as well,” Hocking told reporters.
“A lot of that happens back-of-house but in this sense if I’m at a game and (a player) makes that decision then the fans are going to respond to that in a different way.
“I think the average (review) over the year was about 28 seconds but we could’ve taken it out to a minute (to look at the Thomas goal) and fans would’ve been really comfortable with that because it would have been a player challenge.
“On top of that, it doesn’t look like officialdom is intervening in the game.
“There’s some work to be done on that but we’re exploring it.”
Teams could be allowed up to three challenges a match under the system that will be discussed at December’s AFL Commission meeting.
Hocking said research showed rule changes like the new 6-6-6 set up after goals and the relaxed kick-in restrictions have been well-received by fans but ruled out further tinkering for next season.
